Hope

"Hope, in its widest acceptation, is described as the desire of something together with the expectation of obtaining it. The Scholastics say that it is a movement of the appetite towards a future good, which though hard to attain is possible of attainment. ... It is a truth constantly acted upon in Catholic life and no less explicitly taught, that hope is necessary to salvation. ... There is both a negative and a positive precept of hope. The negative precept is in force ever and always. Hence there can never be a contingency in which one may lawfully despair or presume. The positive precept enjoining the exercise of the virtue of hope demands fulfilment sometimes, because one has to discharge certain Christian duties which involve an act of this supernatural confidence, such as prayer, penance, and the like.(Newadvent.net)

I have always been a bit of an optimist. I always thought things could somehow work out, things always work out for the best, that good always triumph evil, that if given the chance people will do the right thing, etc. Within the last 7 years or so, I lost some of that optimism. I was excited and hopeful that voting for a pro-life, small-government president who actually won would have good effects. I thought with a Republican congress good things might finally begin to happen. The examples can go on - and not all political either.

Now I never lost faith in God's triumph over the world, etc. But I did lose some of my optimism as people disappointed me. The amount of selfishness, inconsiderateness, greed, laziness and hypocritical negativity I've seen from people over the years - terrorism, the murder of Terri Schiavo, a woman being sued in NJ for homeschooling her children, elephant dung on a picture of the BVM, Maryland's trying to remove any statute of limitations for Catholic institutions but not touching public ones, the increasing gap between the rich and the poor and the increasing cost of living in some areas, euthanasia, abortion, poor public education, road rage, and the list goes on and on from the most dramatic to the smallest incidents. How many of us turn on our turn signal before we need to get over to give another driver the opportunity to let us in? How often do we expect that consideration? How often do we hold the door open for each other or have the door held open for us? I've been pregnant and had people not hold the door or let me pass by. And the disappointing things, because they are part of humanity, span from the smallest moments to the biggest decisions.

The problem is that to ignore such things is to ignore life - good or bad it is part of this world we live in and we can't live outside it. We can't ignore it.

However, I came to notice that the loss of my optimism and my new cynicism and disappointment and low expectations from many people didn't effect them. It effected me. It effected my cheerfulness. It effected my outlook. And it took me a while to figure out why I was less cheerful. And I think the answer comes down to Hope. Now, I do not mean to say I can now hope in crooked politicians or murdering "doctors" or terrorists. But I can hope for them. I can hope for them because I have hope in God.

Easter is the season of Hope. It is the celebration that despair, sin and death do not get the last word. Easter teaches us that all our hope rests in the one who gives hope - the God Son who became "fetus" who became child who became man who suffered and died and took up his life again in glory. He gives us hope and if our hope is in Him, then through Him, we can have hope for others. It is because of Easter that we can live in a world of selfishness and deceit and hypocritical nastiness and not let it get us down. And it is through hope that, when the muck and grime of this world tries to bring us down, God keeps us soaring above it clean and dry.

So the next time a politician stands up to tell me how wonderful they are and then, true to form, serve only themselves or a driver cuts me off or a bomb goes off half way across the world or another innocent unborn child is brutally and senslessly murdered I will feel it and I will lament it but I will not be brought down by it - there is simply too much to hope for.

Divine Mercy Sunday

I've been sick with a nasty cold - you name it, it included it. Due to this, my head is a bit fuzzy. So I am only going to share a brief reflection on the Divine Mercy.

Adam and Eve disobey God and eat from the forbidden tree and then, shamed, hide themselves and are rebuked and punished for thier sin. (Genesis 3)

Then the LORD God said: "See! The man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is bad! Therefore, he must not be allowed to put out his hand to take fruit from the tree of life also, and thus eat of it and live forever." The LORD God therefore banished him from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he had been taken. When he expelled the man, he settled him east of the garden of Eden; and he stationed the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Gen 3:22-24)

I remember reading and rereading the creation, the creation, the fall, etc. until I was sick of it. But something caught my attention anew about this part not long ago I would like to share.

I had always read Gen 3:22 as though God was upset that man might climb the heights of immortality and be in some way equal to God. It always came across in the translation to me as though God were jealously guarding his special status as knowledgable AND immortal. And hence God banishes the man and the woman. But here is the thing... Adam and Eve at this point are in a fallen, sinful state. IF they had eaten from the tree of life at that moment they would not go to heaven or be eternally happy but be damned to hell for their immortality would have been solidified in a fallen state. So it is actually not jealousy but MERCY that provokes God to exile his disobedient children and great care and concern for them that he places the cherubim and the fiery revolving sword to save them from immediate damnation. By NOT eating from the tree of life, they may yet be redeemed through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Blessed Easter!

HE IS RISEN!

Sorry it has been a while...

For two and a half weeks I was without a computer as mine was being worked on by Apple Geniuses. One day it just wouldn't boot. They spent 10 days replacing logic boards and hard drives and couldn't figure out what was wrong. So they ordered me a new one which I now have. Even after we got the new computer, our car decided to commit suicide so we spent a week car shopping. I must say, through the whole thing, Cecilia was fantastic. She had more patience than most adults would have at car dealerships - although she was somewhat placated by all their balloons. In the end we got a Honda Odyssey, which we all like very much. Cecilia has taken to it very quickly.

Sorry I've been away so long but hopefully now I can post a bit more regularly.

Prayer Request

Please keep the Bettinelli's in your prayers...

The are especially requesting petitions to Mother Theresa of Calcutta for her intercession.

Details are at Melanie's site (link to the left for The Wine Dark Sea) and Dom's website (link to the left for the Musings of Domenico Bettinelli)

Reflections on Motherhood

A blog I read and to which I have the link on the left has a wonderful reflection on Motherhood:

Motherhood is not a job, not a role, not a pastime. It is a vocation. I have been called by God. He names us, knows us, calls us by name and when we answer, we become what he calls. Mothers are called by God to emulate him, to give life, to pour out ourselves, giving away with abandon, to love completely, selflessly, even when hurts, especially when it hurts. A mother loves. God is love. By being mothers, we draw near to God.

Please pray for Melanie and Dom and their family after losing their dear little Francis by miscarriage last weekend.

Interdaily Prayer

For my Lenten reading I am reading Fr. Dubay's Fire Within. If anyone were to take only one thing from this book, at least based of my reading of the first 110 pages, it should be that if anyone wants to ascend to any degree of communion with God it is absolutely necessary to maintain a consistant and constant fervant prayer life. It doesn't matter if you pray the Divine Office or the Rosary or just the Our Father. It matters that you pray well and pray often and leave the rest to God and all will fall into place.

This made me wonder how often we, as people in general, pray during our day. Now, I'm a housewife and stay-at-home mother. I fold towels while my daughter unfolds them and try to clean bedrooms while my daughter rearranges the shoes on the floor. Certainly others are in offices and on telephones and doing all sorts of other things during their day. But how often do any of us take extra time to pray? The opportunities are quite numerous: while stuck in traffic or at a red light, while on the phone on hold, while trying to get a little one to sleep, while cooking, while waiting in line - anywhere: the bank, the food store, the cleaners, etc. I can't help but wonder how much better the world would be if we all took more time to simply pray during the day - pray for patience with poor drivers or charity when we answer those annoying telemarketer calls or diligence in work we don't want to do. Even more I can't help but wonder how much better our own lives would be by devoting so much time - even only a few minutes at a time - to prayer. How many things would we not have to regret doing or saying if we prayed before we did them?

Of course, I am no exception to the discussion. As part of my Lent, I am using the time I have to get Cecilia to sleep at bedtime and for naps to pray the rosary... just a decade here and a decade there, but it is impressive how they can add up.

Attack on Christ

"Jesus' Tomb?"

Doubtless many have heard of this by now. Some people, including "Titanic" director James Cameron, are suggesting they have found the tombs of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and their "son" Judah. Now such a story would not have reached the first telephone if it was not argued to be referencing Jesus of Nazareth on whom all of Christianity is founded - so let's not beat around the bush contending it could be the tomb of some "Joshua" and some "Miriam" from around the time of Jesus who had a son named "Judah." You have to be a plain fool not to know what they are trying to suggest.

Besides, it is not the first time, nor will it be the last, when someone tries to think themselves important and earth-shattering by proclaiming something about Jesus of Nazareth to get headlines, fame, money, etc. Look at the Da Vinci Code if you want a recent example or the gnostic gospels if you want an older one.

At best these attempts are selfish endeavors to make oneself seem important and make one wealthy. But at worse, much graver consequences can be on the horizon...

Suppose even one person, ignorant of scholarly work on the truth of such claims and perhaps not even with a very rich or deep faith to dismiss such claims in the way they truly deserve, actually doubts his or her own previously accepted beliefs that Jesus is the Son of God, fully alive, truly risen and actually in heaven and has no help to pull him or her back from those doubts. Now, whether due to the selfishness and selfimportance of others or through the malicious and cynical contention of them against the Son of God, such little lambs as these may at the very least become very confused.

When I first read the article I wanted to cry. Here were those same people who have insulted and ridiculed my Church now trying to take my Jesus from me completely. He is the light of my life and indeed the breath that keeps me going and, indeed, even makes me pray for those who would take him from me and yet they seek to destroy him. Now, for me, it is true they did not in the least damage my faith except perhaps my faith in the decency of some people, but they did nonetheless hurt me with such stupidity and arrogance and perhaps even maliciousness.

It is sad the world has come to such as this for among many, quite simply, nothing but themselves is any longer sacred.

Lenten Beginnings

Well, Lent got off to a bit of a penitential start for me. Last night I spent part of the night in bed and part on the floor trying to calm Cecilia as she transitions into sleeping the whole night in her crib and no nursing during the night. It is a big change for her but it resulted in a poor night's sleep for all of us and, since we are not right now used to fasting added to the poor night's rest, significant headaches for James and myself today. Cecilia was somewhat cranky herself.

My Lenten reading is Dubay's Fire Within, of which I only read chapter one today. I hope to read it steadily throughout Lent.

Northanger Abbey

Well, I have now read all of Jane Austen's six novels. My order of preference is as follows:

Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, Northanger Abbey.

But do not think I disliked any of them. I liked all of them but to varying degrees. Pride and Prejudice remains my favorite of all books for I have seldom found it matched in humor, wit, tenderness or morality. Emma is plain and simply a fun and fantastic read - one I look forward to in the future. Mansfield Park is a great drama with much to say for itself and much to reflect upon both on the subject of matrimony as well as that of parenting. Sense and Sensibility is warm and tender. Persuasion's appeal is directed to the subject of second chances at love and the tender suffering endured by rejecting it the first time. Northanger Abbey is a satirical parody and, in this, very different from her other novels. In it Austen directs many sentiments directly to her reader acknowledging her "fable" and the rules thereof poking fun at the novel, particularly horror novels of her time, and society in general.

I think, before I read her short stories, I would like to reread Pride and Prejudice. I have watched the miniseries so many times since I last read it I think it would be good to refresh myself with the book before venturing into her unfinished novels, prayers and letters.

Overall I must say I find it quite sad indeed that Jane Austen is not more read today.

Sense and Sensibility

Well, I finished Sense and Sensibility much sooner than I expected. Having a cold is certainly confining but it does tend to afford more time for reading. Thus far how I would rate my preference of Jane Austen's books:

Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Mansfield Park
Sense and Sensibility
Persuasion


I should make clear that I do not dislike any of her books. I have enjoyed all of them very much but this is my list of preferences.

Mansfield Park

Well, in just over a week I finished Mansfield Park. It was very good with a large list of characters and quite a complex plot. Only mild fatigue from reading 200 pages in two days is slowing me from beginning Sense and Sensibility, which shall be my next Jane Austen read.

It is commonly regarded that Jane Austen's books are one of romance, generally with a happy ending and usually with something to say regarding marriage and courtship and virtue. I cannot deny this. But I have come to observe that no less a primary subject for Austen is courtship and marriage than is proper parenting. In each of Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion and Mansfield Park there is one or several parents (and even some aunts and uncles) which Austen critcizes severely in their ineptness and disinterestedness in proper parenting or guardianship and the great responsibility they have in rearing children not only in education and manners but also in discernment, temper, disposition, humility and virtue. One could argue that, not separating parenthood from marriage, Austen is simply continuing her discource on the subject of matrimony rather through the superiors of her protagonists and their relations rather than through the protagonists and their relations themselves.

I must, at this time, still hold Pride and Prejudice as my favorite although further recflection and time may change that but I will only consider it upon rereading Pride and Prejudice. This I hope to do after reading Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Sandition and her other short stories, and then Pride and Prejudice again. It seems a lot, but since midDecember I have already completed three of her novels totalling over 1250 pages of reading which, with a one year old, is no small matter.

Jane Austen

Well, I read Emma and then Persuasion and am now on Mansfield Park. I guess you could say I am on a Jane Austen kick. I have also ordered Sense and Sensibility and Northangler Abbey and will read those after Mansfield Park. Then I will treat myself to rereading Pride and Prejudice and read her short stories. So basically I should cover all her writings before summer (except her letters, which I haven't gotten yet.

So far my rank of preference would be:
Pride and Prejudice
Emma
Persuasion

I don't know exactly where Mansfield Park will fall yet but I do, so far at least, like it better than Persuasion. Persuasion was good but not as enjoyable to me as the others.

House ... of death

You may be familiar with the FOX show House. It has been on a couple of seasons now about a doctor named Dr. House. It tends to be very witty and can be quite humorous.

I have now watched two full episodes, the second being last night's "shocking revealing secret episode" and BOTH of the episodes I have completely watched had an abortion in them. I must say, in this case, two strikes and you are out. I cannot watch another one. The first I watched was in the first season where a 12 year old swimmer was given an abortion and Dr. House did/could not even tell her parents she was pregnant no less that they gave her an abortion. Last night's was of a girl who was raped and didn't believe in abortion and even argued with House about how it was murder, which House does not contend, and it was immoral, which he also concedes, but after an argument about God and the meaning of life he convinces her to "terminate" her pregnancy anyway. It is quite discpicable to me that such action would be taken and it actually be believed to have helped her - oh yeah like she won't regret betraying her own principles later - it was really for her own good and her own healing. Spare me.

My other issue concerning the series is their magic medicine and how much of the medical references in the show are made up. Of course they never tell the viewer how much is made up and how much isn't, but consider this....In last night's episode the girl had been rapes no more than one week before her seeing House and yet within a day or two at most, they know she is pregnant. Even with a blood test it has to be a MINIMUM of 10 days past conception for a blood test to acurately determine pregnancy. Prior to that the hormones to look for simply aren't there in levels detectable to indicate pregnancy.

While I grant the show to be written with a great amount of wit and humor with quick quips and one-liners, it is most despicable in my opinion not only to be pushing a pro-abortion agenda, but to even do so with fantasized medicine. It is one show I personally can no longer tolerate.

Update

Well, if you have read Cecilia's page, you can imagine I've been quite busy with her since we all recovered from our holiday illnesses. In short, I've been quite tired lately.

However, James and I did beat PS2's LEGO Star Wars game - a lot of fun. I am also half-way through Jane Austen's Emma. I am also planning Cecilia's 1st Birthday Party, which will be Veggietales themes since she absolutely adores them. I am going to try to make the cake into either Bob or Larry and she can try cake for the first time.

Blessed Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

I'm very sorry it has been over a week since I posted. Two weeks ago Cecilia got sick with a cold. Last week James got sick with a cold that is quite persistant. And I've been sick since Christmas with some fever/cough thing. So, basically, we have been sleeping in and taking it easy as much as possible. My fever seems to have gone away and Cecilia is better but James and I are still working through the coughs.

We do hope everyone is having a very Blessed Christmas Season though and we will try to get some pictures of Cecilia's first Christmas on her website within the next couple of weeks. When you are sick, everything goes slower.

Airport HELL

First, let me clarify that I am NOT speaking of the BWI airport, which was most accomodating, nor Ft. Lauderdale's airport which we also had no problem at.

However, when we flew out of Orlando's airport this morning, it was a nightmare I never would have anticipated. Lines and chaos seem to be the two most prized things in the airport. For out 11:10am flight back to BWI we arrived at the airport at 9:15 - almost two hours beforehand.

We got to the ticketing area and there were two lines - one from each entry way - both ending in the same spot. We waiting in one of these lines until we got to the front where an employee was listening to each person's situation and then directing them to the correct line. So, then we waited in a second line. (Ingenius system wouldn't you say?) By the time we finished checking in we became worried about time since James still hadn't returned the rental car. So, knowing security would take longer for Cecilia, the stroller, the car seat, the diaper bag, the camera bag and whoever had them, we decided to split up - James left to return the car while I pushed or carried Cecilia and all of the forementioned items on a cart to security. Oh if only the saga had ended there.

I waited in one line only to be told when I got to the front of it that my cart could not come through (at BWI they did permit the cart through and the only sign to tell me it was not permitted I later saw on the far right of security) and if I needed help I would have to go back to ticketing and ask for help there. So I got out of line, pulled over and put Cecilia and everything else either in or on the stroller or myself. So I was now pushing Cecilia in the stroller, my purse and the camera bag hanging one off each handle bar, all of our coats and her blanket and a towel draped over the stroller, the diaper bag on one shoulder and carrying the car seat with the one arm not pushing the stroller. I got back in line at security. After waiting in one line and nearing the front by only a few people, they closed that line and I had to get in another. I finally got to the front of that line where they checked my ID and our tickets and let us pass into a mob of people who were pushing for the next found of lines to get through the X-ray machines. Eventually, we got up to the counter on which to put everything. I put up the diaper bag, the car seat and the camera bag and my purse while I took off my shoes. I got a bin and places my shoes BESIDE the bin. A security employee commented that my shoes had to go through security on the belt - not in a bin and then took the bin. By now I was ready to lose it. I picked up the jackets and blanket and towel for which I had gotten the stupid bin in the first place and threw them on the counter. The employee wasn't even't paying attention and just pushed everything through on the belt. I finally got Cecilia out of the stroller but, not familiar with folding the stroller without shoes on, I couldn't do it. I had to set her and our IDs and tickets on the floor and she began crying. Finally, an employee saw me struggling, and came over to help with the stroller. She asked how to fold it, I explained, and she got another employee to fold it and put it through. While getting everything together after security was not too difficult, Cecilia was scared and crying hysterically. Having been surrounded by so many people and mommy struggling and going from out of the stroller to in to out to in I finally took her out and held her putting the car seat in the stroller.

Now, completely forget for a moment that we are in Hanukkah or that Christmas is a week away and this is a season to be kind and joyful and generous - ignoring all this, I was still a paying customer by myself with an infant struggling and it took until Cecilia broke down screaming on the floor before ANYONE - employee OR passanger helped me. And for the record, in the end I received far more help from other passangers than from employees.

P.S. - get this - while going through security at the BWI airport, the guard told me that it would be easier for them if I placed the ziplock bag with Cecilia's peaches and juice separate from the other things. So, in Orlando, I did this ... they never even checked them.

The Orlando airport has to be the slowest, stupidest, most idiot run airport when it comes to ticketing and security I have seen in years. And to think this is an airport that sees an especially high number of tourists with small children!

It will be a frozen day in Orlando before I ever fly out of there again.

The Birthday Meme

The Rules:

1) Go to Wikipedia.
2) In the search box, type your birth month and day but not the year.
3) List three events that happened on your birthday.
4) List two important birthdays and one death.
5) One holiday or observance (if any).

3 Events:
1. 4004 BC - On the preceding eve of this day (in the proleptic Julian calendar), the universe was created, according to the archbishop James Ussher in what is now called the Ussher-Lightfoot Calendar.
2. 1930 - The first miniature golf tournament was completed in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
3. 2001 - Apple Computer releases the first iPod.

2 Birthdays (and 2 for added fun):
1844 - Sarah Bernhardt, French actress (d. 1923)
1925 - Johnny Carson, American television host (d. 2005)
1942 - Michael Crichton, American writer
1959 - "Weird Al" Yankovic, American musical parodist

1 Death (plus 2 for fun):
42 BC - Marcus Junius Brutus, Roman senator (b. 85 BC)
Giovanni da Capistrano, Italian saint (b. 1386)
1950 - Al Jolson, American singer and actor (b. 1886)

Holiday/Observance:
R.C. Saints - Saint Giovanni da Capistrano; Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius
Hungary - National Day (revolution of 1956 and the proclamation of the Republic of Hungary in 1989)
Astrology: First day of sun sign Scorpio in Western tropical astrology.
Chemistry: Mole Day

Another Hot Topic - Crying It Out

A topic so controversial on mother message boards so as to be placed on their "Great Debate" boards along side Circumcision and Vaccination is whether or not to let a baby CIO or Cry it out.

Now, let me first say, that, at least for the purposes of this post, I am not speaking about when a parent is on the verge of losing it and prudently chooses to set the child down and walk away for a few minutes to regain control of themselves. In such a case, it is a prudent decision for the parent to do so so as to prevent any greater harm from coming to anyone even if it means the baby cries for a bit. I am also not speaking of an incrimental or gradual CIO method where the parent would leave the child and when the baby began crying, the parent returns to the baby, calms him and then leaves again.

I am speaking of when a parent makes sure as best as they can that there is nothing wrong with the baby and then leaves him in his crib and does not return even if the baby cries for over an hour. I've heard some parents let their infants cry for 3 hours or more, persistantly hoping the baby will just get the point, give up and go to sleep. I have heard mothers say that they use this method because their baby "deserves the opportunity to learn to sleep on their own."

Over the course of Cecilia's 10 months now, Cecilia has been anything but a great or easy sleeper. She has been attached to me since we brought her home, she fusses very easily, has been a very light sleeper making moving her almost impossible, has struggled greatly with teething, and indeed, has at times woken up 8 or more times a night. Indeed, it can be very tiring for her and me. I don't think I've ever had a Diet Coke with breakfast before simply to get the caffeine. Cecilia still sleeps in our bed, beside me. Some nights she is fantasic and will not wake more than once. Other nights it seems she is awake more than she is asleep. And more than one or two people have advised James and me to simply "let her cry."

It is however, a completly natural instinct to hold and comfort your child when they are crying. No parent should ever wish to see their child cry and, indeed, God has built us with an innate desire to wipe away all their tears. So it is reasonable that there should, indeed, be a very good reason, to simply ignore a baby's crying as well as our desire to calm that baby.

Personally, I cannot bring myself to do this for two reasons:
1. When God entrusts his innocent and completly dependent creation of a baby to me such that I become everything to that baby, yes, indeed, even becoming a representative of God to her and she is psychologically and intellectually incapable of intentionally trying to manipulate me but rather seeks only to fulfill her needs of nourishment and comfort, how can I morally and with justification ignore her cries? When we are sad or angry or in pain or lonely and we cry unto God, he is ALWAYS there. He never ignores us or abandons us or lets us wallow in sadness or pain so we can "have the opportunity to learn on our own," but rather he is always there guiding, comforting, enlightening, caressing, and wiping away our tears. As we are so gently and lovingly treated by Our Father, how could I justly choose not to strive to treat my daughter likewise?
2. Everyone, including her pediatrician, makes the defense, "they won't remember it." I grant you I don't know anyone who remembers such an event, but can anyone provide absolutely proof positive evidence that when a baby is left to cry and her whole world - her parents - ignores them, it has absolutely no negative consequences, especially psychologically? I am not saying there is proof positive evidence that it does cause harm, but without evidence to the contrary, shouldn't we always err on the side of caution?

I am certainly not saying not letting a baby CIO is easy. Heaven knows it isn't. There have been about 4 or 5 nights in the last two weeks where I have barely slept. But I simply cannot justify leaving Cecilia to CIO. I have been and will continue to work with her regarding her sleep (which has improved quite a bit I must say over the past month or so - The No Cry Sleep Solution has been helpful) but beyond that it is one more sacrifice my vocation calls me to make, as every vocation demands sacrifices.

I am certainly open to discussion on the topic, but I have explained my reasonings and would need those to be addressed before even considering such a course of action. Regarding any responses, please remember to be respectful and consider seriously my objections such that they be regarded in a thorough manner in any response. Thank you and God bless.

Santa, Part II

It seems the Santa Question is a hot topic on more than one Catholic website or blog.

Here is Rod Dreher's Blog (he writes for the Dallas Morning News) where, if you scroll down, the debate continues.

So I just thought I'd expand a bit more on the topic from my perspective. Please feel free to comment below but do remember to be respectful.

There seem to be three approaches to Santa:
1. There is a man at the North Pole with flying reindeer and elves, etc. as real as you or I or the Incarnation is.
2. There is a myth of a man at the North Pole who symbolizes the spirit of Christmas or a characture of a real Saint that has been embellished but continues to capture the spirit of Christmas.
3. Santa who?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regarding Option 1, there have been several arguments made against it as well as several made in favor of it.
Favor:
1. It is a pleasure to believe in Santa not to be denied to a child.
2. It encourages fantasy and wonder.
3. It accents and emphasizes the Spirit of Generosity and of Christmas.

Against:
1. It is a lie and we should avoid lying to our children.
2. It distracts children from Christ - the reason for the season.
3. It isn't necessary to celebrate Christmas.

Now, I hardly think the whole thing to be a serious moral issue, so I would respect any parent's decision on the subject with regard to their own children. However, here are my comments on both arguments.
In Favor: 1. It may be a pleasure, but there are many pleasures in life. Pleasure by its very definition is enjoyable but is not a necessity nor a right. Many children and adults alike took pleasure in Christmas long before there was the modern version of Santa Claus. So, granted it is a pleasure, but not a necessary one, and the question becomes, is it a pleasure that is worth it? 2. I would certainly grant that it does encourage fantasy and wonder. So does the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy. And Charlotte's Web and the Chronicles of Narnia and Bing Crosby's White Christmas and Harry Potter and playing dress up and having tea parties without real tea, Lincoln Logs, etc. ad nauseum. Santa certainly encourages fantasy and wonder, but so do many many things. So my question now becomes, is telling a child the myth of Santa is a reality worth the pleasure and the fantasy and wonder? 3. I think Santa CAN accent the Spirit of Christmas depending on how it is treated. Secular society shoves him down our throats proclaiming him the national mascot and representative of Christmas itself. By the same token, a family certainly can treat him in a way where he would accent the meaning of Christmas. But he isn't necessary in this capacity either. So my summary of my comments on the arguments in favor are, "Telling children the man at the north pole with the flying reindeer and elves is as real as you are does give pleasure, does encourage fantasy and wonder and can accent the spirit of giving, but at what price and is that price worth it?"

Against: 1. I am not going to debate if there are ever times it is okay to lie to our children, but I will say that to consider it I'd have to have a very good reason. Consider what happens when they find out I did lie. Some people are hurt. Some get angry. As for myself I felt like a gullible idiot for having believed it until I was in the 5th grade. Could a child resent their parent for having lied to them? I don't, but it is a possibility worth considering. Would they then doubt other things they have believed because this "reality" that they have held so long has turned out to be a lie? There are several risks in lying to children. Are those risks worth their pleasure and a source of fantasy for them? Depending on the parents, the family, the children and how the whole thing is handled, some might say yes, some no. 2. The reason Christmas exists at all is quite simply that the Almighty and Most Merciful God humbled Himself to become human and was born to save humanity from sin. Does Santa detract from this amazing reason to celebrate? Personally, for me, I believe it did. I don't remember any of my Christmas masses growing up. I remember wanting stuff. I remember going through the entire Pennys catalogue and writing out over 2 pages on a yellow legal pad stuff I wanted from it. In my naivite, I simply figured since Santa didn't need cash, I could ask for as much as I wanted. It was very easy to focus on stuff I wanted rather than sitting through Church for an extra long mass. Now as an adult, I see secular society working all the harder to force the Stuff angle to be all the easier and easier to fall in to. This argument really is the most crucial, for, if anyone is distracted away from Jesus at Christmas, then the entire celebration is hollow. To tell a child that Santa with his reindeer and elves is just as real as the birth of Christ is to put them both on the same level of truth as they share the same holiday. For me, this is the critical point, for I would see no pleasure, no source of fantasy or wonder, no risk to faith or trust and no accent to the spirit of the season as being worth even risking (no less putting another subject on the same level of view) the failure to gaze in relentless joy at the Christ Child and celebrate His birth and the source of our redemption. 3. I think I've already commented enough above to simply state that Santa is not a necessity but a luxury that I don't believe to be worth the cost when he is treated as a complete reality.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regarding Option 2:
Santa, as I stated in my previous post, is originally based on a Catholic Saint - St. Nicholas. And, as my previous post stated, I have no objection to Santa Claus as a symbol of a truth and as an embellishment of St. Nicholas, provided children know that it is a myth and a symbol and an embellishment and are not really told that there is in truth a chubby guy at the north pole with flying reindeer and elves. In this manner, the objection regarding lying ceases to exist, Santa is not placed as a reality along side Jesus but rather, as simply a reflection of the Spirit of Christmas, directs our focus not at himself, but directly at Christ, removing the second objection. In this way, he can still provide pleasure and a sense of fantasy even while the children know it to be a fantasy and truly highlight and accent the spirit of Christmas.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Regarding Option 3:
I suppose circumstances could one day arise such that I would consider completly erasing Santa (not St. Nicholas) but I cannot say I am in them now, don't see them arising anytime soon, and, indeed, am not even sure what they would be.

I hope this post has further elucidated my thoughts on the Santa argument which seems to be a bit of a hot topic in some areas. I would certainly respect other parent's making any of the three options above and I would likewise expect them to respect our choice. As I said above, I'm certainly open to comments or discussion on the subject, but I am not sure how much more I can say on the subject. If anyone should choose to comment, please remember to be respectful. To not be so would not only be rude, it would hurt any argument you would make. God Bless and Blessed Advent!