4/20, sukkas!

Full disclosure here, I’ve never been high. That’s not my thing. In case you haven’t noticed, I like to think of myself as a good, Catholic boy. It is working pretty well for me so far.

Still, I have friends who are into that sort of thing. 4/20 is still some sort of holiday for a lot of people in my Twitter feed, so I spend at least a little time each April thinking about pot and God and some other stuff. I think there’s more to it than most devout Christians want to admit.

First things first, don’t smoke pot, pop pills, snort coke, eat at McDonald’s, or any of that stuff. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us of the importance of temperance and self-control as an acknowledgement of the beauty of our bodies.

“The virtue of temperance disposes us to avoid every kind of excess… The use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense.” -CCC #2290-2291

Temperance is important for everyone, not just pot-smoking hippies. Drunks and bad drivers can fall into the same sin. When we drink for drunkenness, smoke for… highness (sorry. I’m not hip to pot talk), or drive for recklessness, we abandon that ability to act in control of ourselves which separates us from other creatures in the world. Rejecting that which sets us apart from all other beings, our incredible rationality, is a huge slap in the face to ourselves and to the one who created our humanity in a way that is intended to glorify himself.

Yet, most people I have spoken to who regularly smoke marijuana and in some cases use other types of drugs don’t seem to care about that rational. I don’t even make the appeal to them because I don’t really plan on convincing them to stop smoking pot in order to magnify the dignity of their human person and thereby make them truly happy. When high, I’m assuming most people feel pretty happy. This is interesting to me. It seems that being high isn’t that bad a thing.

A Time for Philosophy

I have been discussing the possibility of seeing pets in heaven with a friend of mine. I happen to be of the opinion that you will not see animals, people, or food in heaven because heaven is not a “place” for temporal “things”. A lot of people take offense to that prospect, but consider this. Is it the skin and bones of your pet that you think you’re going to miss, or is it the way that she flips the hell out every time you walk through the door and shakes like crazy until you bend down so she can lick your face and all gross and stuff? It’s the latter, of course! You don’t want fur and spit in heaven, you want your loving dog! That will certainly be there.

The love that your dog, your mom, and everyone else in your life show you is merely a participation in Love Himself, God. Heaven is an eternally perfect participation in Love in its substance, not merely in the accidents, or physical attributes attached to substance, that we experience here on earth. Similarly, all good things we experience are a partial, temporal participation in Goodness itself, God. Eating tasty treats, hugging grandma, and all other physical interactions are not good in and of themselves, but are substantially good because they share in the substance of the all-good God. Groovy, huh?

One more anecdote and I’ll go back to pot. I was on a Ministry of the Third Cross (MOTTC) retreat a few years ago. MOTTC is a prison ministry and this retreat was for young men in a halfway house. Without getting into specifics, there was a moment on the retreat where the boys shared their visions of what a life in Christ might look like for them and one of our team members broke down. This grown man said something like this, “I’ve done a lot of drugs. I’ve been high on everything from pot to coke, but seeing that gave me the biggest high I’ve ever felt in my life.” Perhaps that was not literally true, but what he said really stuck with me. I’ve heard stories of people being “caught in the spirit” and stories of people being lost in prayer to the point of ecstasy. Personally, I have experienced powerful moments of unexplainable bliss while in adoration or in Mass. I think there is some truth to what that guy said. Silly as it may sound, I think it’s totally possible to get high on Christ.

Back to pot

The Church is very clear in teaching against the use of hallucinogenic drugs for recreation, but I don’t think she’s trying to be a kill-joy. Once again, it seems God knows what he is doing. When I see stories of drug addicts or even find myself exposed to the average pot-smoker, I am not filled with a sense of moral superiority, but a real sadness for them.

Drugs are a simple, easy way out for someone seeking ecstasy away from God. I don’t think God or His Church look down on the goal of drug users, but rather the means. God has given us a means for attaining other-wordly happiness in his Sacraments. The Holy Spirit is the ordinary means to eternal bliss. Maybe loyal Catholics have been issued a call to claim the 4/20 mentality as their own, but with a radical twist.

One reason I don’t use drugs is I really don’t have to. I’m finding a way to ecstasy through my faith. (Yes, I really do believe what I’m writing here.) I say we all take this day, and every day, as an invitation to get high on Christ. If you are not in a state of grace, get to confession and go to Mass. Cleanse your soul and enter into the Sacramental life. Become a user of God’s ordinary means for getting high. Let’s show the world the beauty of substantial ecstasy.

Happy 4/20 or whatever!

April 14-15 2012
Divine Mercy Weekend Celebration featuring Fr. Mitch Pacwa

St. Benedict Catholic Church – 4535 Lord Rd, San Antonio, San Antonio (Map)

Get More info | Register

San Antonio’s Alexander House and Fr. Clay Hunt are on a quest to inspire men at this special event, which the promoters promise is “guaranteed to allow you to become the man that God created you to be.”

Fr. Clay Hunt

MEN’S EVENT
Friday, May 11, 2012, 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Guys Night Out with Fr. Clay Hunt

St. Paul Catholic Church – 350 Sutton Drive, San Antonio (Map)

Registration:
Gentlemen – $20,
Students and clergy – $15
Seminarians – Free

(Get more info)

This year, Good Friday falls on April 6. As has been the tradition for many years, tens of thousands will gather in downtown San Antonio, Texas for the ‘Passion Play’: a living re-enactment of Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion sometimes called ‘The Way of the Cross.’ Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M.Sp.S., will preside over the events for the day.

Event schedule for Good Friday 2012:

10:00 a.m. – Ecumenical Prayer Service | Milam Park (bilingual)

10:30 a.m. – Passion Play & Procession | Milam Park to San Fernando Cathedral (Spanish)

12:00 p.m. – Crucifixion | San Fernando Cathedral (Spanish)

1:00 p.m. – Las Siete Palabras | San Fernando Cathedral (mostly Spanish)

2:30 p.m. – Liturgy of Good Friday | San Fernando Cathedral (bilingual)

5:30 p.m. – Stations of the Cross (English) | San Fernando Cathedral

8:15 p.m. – Pésame Service, prayer service with the Sorrowful Mother | San Fernando Cathedral (Spanish)

Trade in your dinner and a movie for an evening centered on marriage with practical insights on strengthening your own marriage relationship. Fr. John Riccardo will be the guest speaker at this special event sponsored by the Alexander House.

COUPLES EVENT
Friday, April 20, 2012, 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Couples Night Out: An Evening With Fr. John Ricardo

St. Matthew Catholic Church McDonald Center – 10703 Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio (Map)

Click here to register.

(Get more info)

San Antonio’s Oblate School of Theology will host this free lecture Tuesday night, presented by Rev. Donald Senior:

Tuesday, March 27, 2012 – 7 p.m.
“Paul My Brother: Reflections on the Call to Mission in the Shadow of the Cross”

Whitley Theological Center at Oblate School of Theology – 285 Oblate Drive, San Antonio (Map)

This event is free and open to the public. For more information or to RSVP, call Brenda at (210) 341-1366, extension 212.

The pro-life film October Baby opens at theaters nationwide today. Here in San Antonio, the following theaters are playing the movie:

Alamo Quarry 14 – 255 E. Basse Road (Map)

Friday, March 23:
12:15, 3:45, 7:10, 10:00

Saturday, March 24:
12:15, 3:45, 7:10, 10:00

Sunday, March 25:
12:15, 3:45, 7:10, 10:00

(Buy tickets)

Palladium 19 – 17703 IH 10 West (Map)

Friday, March 23:
11:50am, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:50, 12:20am

Saturday, March 24:
11:50am, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:50, 12:20am

Sunday, March 25:
11:50am, 2:20, 4:50, 7:20, 9:50

(Buy tickets)

Silverado 16 – 11505 West FM 1604 North (Map)

Friday, March 23:
11:40am, 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40, 12:10am

Saturday, March 24:
11:40am, 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40, 12:10am

Sunday, March 25:
11:40am, 2:10, 4:40, 7:10, 9:40

(Buy tickets)

Dates, times and theaters are subject to change.