Of Protestantism, Proof Texts, Straw Men, and the One True Church

Saw this "Hot on Google+" post yesterday along with various comments calling the Catholic Church, "the whore of Babylon."

Nice, huh? Really makes you want to be warm and fuzzy and ecumenical, right? Or maybe it makes you want to "fist pump" at something like this,

It certainly makes this blogger start to wonder whether the whole era of ecumenism (which certainly had many positive fruits) might be soon coming to an end. Those who could be drawn closer to the Church through "nice making" have already been so drawn. The "mainline" Protestant groups are drifting farther and farther away from anything even remotely like historic Christianity and the fundamentalist and evangelical groups post (and comment on, and share to the point of trending) things like the chart above.

Each of the points on the "chart" are easily refuted from the "Bible and the Bible alone":

1. Call no man father? Why, then, does Jesus call Abraham father? (Jn 8:39) What do we call that man who married our mother? Jesus, in Matthew 23:9 isn't forbidding our use of the word "father" in some hyper-literal sense (as we can see by His calling Abraham "father"), rather He is teaching us that no man is a father in the way God is Father. Jesus also tells us, right there in Matthew 23, to call no man "teacher" or "master" (including Jesus Himself, and yes, this would include using the word "Lord") but Protestants seem to have no problem understanding Jesus' figurative and hyperbolic speech with these terms. No it is only when they can make a clumsy attack on the Catholic Church that they suddenly loose the ability to take Jesus' meaning as intended. 

2. Don't confess to anyone but God? Not according to the Bible (Jn 20:22-23, James 5:16). The verse cited here (1 John 1:9) reads," if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Yes, that's right, it says absolutely nothing about who we are to confess our sins to. When read in light of the verses I mentioned above (Jn 20:22-23 - "And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." and James 5:16 - "confess your sins to each other") we see yet more reason to reject this absurd claim. 

3. Don't pray to "dead" saints? Who says they are dead? Not the Bible (cf. Matt 22:29-32). I wrote more on this here: 4 Reasons Every Christian Should Pray to the Saints. 

4. Mary is "co-mediator"? "Co" if understood as "co-pilot" not if understood as "another." Mary participates in the unique mediation of Christ like the moon reflects the light of the sun. The Bible calls all of us to do this right in 1 Timothy 2 - the very chapter of the Bible the Protestant is appealing to here! Advice - try reading the Bible in context, just reading a few "proof texts" doesn't equate to having even the smallest understanding of the Bible. I'm reminded of the atheist who excitedly "proved" God doesn't exist by appealing to Psalm 14:1 "... there is no God" (read the beginning of Psalm 14 for the context HERE).  

5. Pray only to the Father? Wrong again. The verse that supposed to "prove" this (John 14:13) says, "I will do whatever you ask in my name" not "don't pray to anyone but the Father." Besides, does the poster really believe we can't even pray to Jesus? Perhaps he doesn't realize "pray" is just another word for "ask". We can ask the (living, as we saw above) saints to pray to God for us, just like we can ask other people to pray for us (reading the whole second chapter of 1 Timothy instead of just the second verse clarifies this one as well). At this point I'm beginning to wonder if the creator of the chart is even literate. Time and again the Bible verses pointed to to "prove" his point simply don't say what he wants them to. 

6. Catholics worship "idols"? No, we don't. We have statues, but don't worship them which doesn't violate God's commands (God actually commands the use of statues in a religious setting, see Ex 25:18 "and make two cherubim out of hammered gold." Is God commanding Israel to break the second commandment? Did He forget His hatred for statuary? Or is our Protestant still not reading very carefully? Let's see. He quotes Exodus 20:4-6 for support, those verses read, "You shall not make an idol for yourself... you shall not worship them." God isn't railing against art, He is forbidding worshipping pieces of art. We don't worship statues, hence they are not idols. We use them in the exact same way God commanded the Israelites to use the cherubim - as aids in worshipping Him. You can read more on this HERE: Do Catholics Worship Statues?

Thus, all these "points" are easily refuted not by appeals to papal encyclicals or conciliar documents or mystical visions of the saints, but simply by actually reading the Bible. It isn't the Bible that is opposed to Catholicism here, but the warped reading of the, obviously very anti-Catholic, created of (and sharers of) the meme. This shouldn't entirely surprise us. The Bible tells us that people will seek out false teachers in an effort to hear what they want to hear instead of "Gospel truth" (cf. 2 Tim 4:3). The tens of thousands of Protestant sects, each set up by someone who didn't like what was being taught by other Christians, certainly proves this prophecy to be true. 

But, perhaps more chillingly, is the glee with which the sharers of the meme call the Church the "whore of Babylon." This is dangerous ground, it seems to me. The Bible tells us the Catholic Church is nothing less than Jesus' Bride (cf. Eph 5:25-27). I'm married and wouldn't be too pleased with people calling my bride a "whore," I'm going to guess Jesus isn't too happy about people calling His Bride a "whore" either. Just saying "I accept Jesus as Lord" isn't enough to guarantee salvation,  "not everyone who says to me "Lord, Lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven... I will declare to them 'I never knew you, depart from me" (Matt 7:21-23). I wonder if those who so hate His Bride, which is alternatively described as His Body (for "two flesh shall become one" - MK 10:8), might no find themselves departing from the Just Judge. I hope not, but I wonder. Of course, those invincibly ignorant (those "who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or His Church" LG, 16) can still be saved, but basing your eternal fate on ignorance when we know it is not ignorance but the truth which sets us free (cf. Jn 8:32), is a rather risking proposition. Therefore, please join me in praying for the conversion of all those who find themselves outside (and even reviling) the Church which Christ Himself founded,

Let us Pray. 
    O Lord, Who wast torn by the rebellion of Thy children whom, at one time within the Ark of Salvation, ventured out into the deep having itching ears, succumbed to the false teachers of Protestant ministers who listened more to the prideful urgings of the devil to break away from the bosom of holy Mother Church and multiply worse than the first thousands of times over. We pray Thee for our formerly Catholic brethren to give them the grace to realize the error of their ways and return to the Barque of Peter. May Thy holy Mother intercede and soften the hearts of those who may not realize the tenets they have been taught are not the full truths Thou charged Thy Apostles to spread throughout the world that all may be one. Show them through Thy wondrous ways that only in the Barque Thou founded can they truly see the marks of the true Faith: one, holy, catholic and truly apostolic. Guide them to accept and cherish Thy blessed Mother and to realize her role which Thou hast chosen for her, the second Eve, as Co-redemptrix of souls. Grant thy true priests the courage to feed Thy lambs with the manna of Thy Spirit so that every people and every tongue may acknowledge and glorify Thee as Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in unity with the Triune Divinity, forever and ever. Amen. (traditional Catholic prayer for the conversion of Protestants).

Of Lust, CS Lewis, Lizards, and Ghosts

As yesterday we looked at Temptation and the all too easy slide into habitual (and even addictive) sin, today I thought we'd look a little closer at one of the favorite sins of the age - Lust. As longtime readers of the blog well know, I am forever reading, re-reading, and quoting CS Lewis, thus a passage from one of my favorite Lewis novels, The Great Divorce, leaps into mind whenever the topic of lust rears its ugly head.

For those who haven't read the book (get your copy on Amazon here and support blog at no additional cost to you!) The Great Divorce is an imaginative tale of several Ghosts who find their way, via a bus of all things, from hell to the outer gates of heaven. These ghosts each have "one last chance" to repent, believe the Gospel, and be freed from hell forever (yes, that's a bit of bad theology, but Lewis is using it as a way of representing, dramatically, the very real choices each of us have to make here and now, which will determine our final destinies).

One Ghost in particular is of interest to us, one who is plagued with Lust (represented here in the form of a whimpering Lizard upon his ghostly shoulder) from chapter 11,

I saw coming toward us a Ghost who carried something on his shoulder.... What sat on his shoulder was a little red lizard, and it was twitting its tail like a whip and whispering things in his ear. As we caught sight of him, he turned his head to the reptile with a snarl of impatience. 'Shut up, I tell you!' he said. It wagged its tail and continued to whisper to him.

The Ghost, quieted by the whisperings of the lizard smiles faintly and turns to leave paradise, ready, apparently, to return to the hell from whence he came. How many of us, when afflicted by any "pet sin" or by lust like the Ghost, make that same choice? We know we can't bring our sins with us into Heaven (cf. Rev 21:27), but how often do we blithely smile and walk away, clinging to the sin rather than holding fast to paradise?

Before our Ghost goes back to hell an angelic being bids him stay, to which the Ghost replies,

'I'm off,... Thanks for all your hospitality. But it's no good, you see. I told this little chap' (here he indicated the Lizard) 'that he'd have to be quiet if he came - which he insisted on doing. Of course his stuff won't do here: I realize that. But he won't stop. I shall just have to go home.'

Again choosing his sin (lust) to pleasure itself (heaven). The Angel, however, is patience asking,

'Would you like me to make him quiet?"...
'Of course I would,' said the Ghost.
'Then I will kill him, said the Angel taking a step forward.

source

The Ghost falls back, terrified at the prospect of the angel killing the Lizard, apparently not as ready to have him be quiet as he first thought, explaining

'You didn't say anything about killing him at first. I hardly meant to bother you with anything as drastic as that.'
'It's the only way,' said the Angel, whose burning hands were now very close to the Lizard. 'Shall I kill it?'

The Ghost comes up with any number of excuses to not allow the Angel to kill the Lizard. He doesn't want to be such a bother. He'd prefer a gradual method. He'd like a second opinion (from his doctor in hell). And so forth. Again we find ourselves staring in the mirror. Do we come up with excuses for our sins? Do we find a reason why today isn't the right day or now the right time to be healed by Christ? Do we, with St. Augustine of Hippo, pray "Lord give me charity and continence, but not yet?"

The Angel, unable to kill the Lizard without the man's consent, simply asks if he may free the man from his burden while getting closer and closer. The Lizard cries out,

'He can do what he says. He can kill me. One fatal word from you and he will! Then you'll be without me for ever and ever. It's not natural. How could you live?

Finally, convinced it would be better to die than to go on living with the Lizard, the Ghost screams out,

'Damn and blast you! Go on, can't you? Get it over. Do what you like' 

Needing nothing further, the Angel breaks the Lizard's back, seeming to kill it, and tosses it onto the ground before the Ghost. The Ghost isn't killed by the operation (though he "gave a scream of agony such as I never heard on Earth.") After another moment a wonderful transformation occurs, as the narrator relates it,

For a moment I could make out nothing distinctly. Then I saw, between me and the nearest bush, unmistakably solid but growing every moment solider, the upper arm and the shoulder of a man. Then, brighter still and stronger, the legs and hands. The neck and golden head materialized while I watched, and if my attention had not wavered I should have seen the actual completing of a man - an immense man, naked, not much smaller than the Angel.

Freed from the Lizard, the Ghost becomes a man. While it hurt (and quite a bit, apparently, at that), the operation - the death of the Lizard - didn't kill the man, didn't leave him "only a sort of ghost, not a real man as... now" as the Lizard had predicated. No, instead it freed the Ghost, it made him into a man, one fully alive. Thus we see the cure which we foolishly hold back from. We all too often think we won't be able to be happy without this sin or that, but it is only by killing these sins, by giving them over to Christ to vanquish, that we are ever happy at all.

The Lizard, as with all our sins, too would be reborn,

So far from dying, the creature was still struggling and even growing bigger as it struggled. The tail, still flickering, became a tail of hair that flickered between huge and glossy buttocks. Suddenly I started back, rubbing my eyes. What stood before me was the greatest stallion I have ever seen. 

Indeed, it is on the very back of this Lizard-turned-stallion that the Man charges off into the very heavenly mountains he had been contemplating turing his back on forever at the instigation of the Lizard.

The moral of the story?

'Does it mean that everything - everything - that is in us can go on to the Mountains?' 

'Nothing, not even the best and noblest, can go on as it now is. Nothing, not even what is loves and most bestial, will not be raised again if it submits to death. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.... What is a lizard compared with a stallion? Lust is a poor, weak, whimpering thing compared with that richness and energy of desire which will arise when lust has been killed.' 

 And so we can say with any other sin. Think about that for a moment. Which sins are you clinging to? Which things, other than God, are you relying on for happiness? Resolve to put whatever it is to death today. Watch it arise again, purified and as unrecognizable as a stallion is from a lizard, to carry you into the hands of Our Heavenly Father. We may not have the immediate death stroke of an angel to rely on (although the angels and saints are here to help us as much as we allow them to) and it may take a few tries with several set backs, but whatever the sin is you can be free.

Deus benedicat.

Of Character Building, Hell, Demonic Temptation, and St. Anthony of the Desert

In these "scientific" days, many people, even many clerics, blush to speak of the supernatural and yet, it is real, our faith assures us of that (as does reason for those not blinded by a Cartesian worldview). The blinders most of us choose to wear to the supernatural can leave us open to attacks of the demonic, not just Exorcist level possession or obsession, but even just ordinary, run of the mill (though deadly) temptations.

Demonic Temptation has been a problem from the Beginning

There can be many reasons for temptations - past behavior, addiction, poor choices, physiological changes in the brain that make repeated actions easier (including evil ones), and forming bad habits, habits of evil acts. Here an old adage rings true,

Sow an action, reap a habit
Sow a habit, reap a character,
Sow a character, reap a destiny.

In that sense, we are what we repeatedly do. We have the awesome, Godlike (remember we are made in His Image), power to literally create ourselves (not ex nihilio, but in the sense of forming the kind of person we will become.) As Spiderman would say, however, "with great power comes great responsibility" and this case is no different. The great power of forming ourselves comes with the great responsibility to form ourselves into the kind of people that can be united with God forever - i.e. saints - otherwise we are failed humans and failed humans can only have one fate, left on the garbage heap (Gehenna), cast into the outer darkness (cf. Matt 8:12), into the fire where the worm dies not (Mark 9:44). This, as we have seen before, is a fate entirely (and freely) chosen by the damned, not imposed by a "cruel God" (see The Hell We Choose) and, again as we've seen previously, the fate of the damned cannot be less horrible than it is (see Couldn't God Have Made Hell a Nicer Place).

We might ask, however, why would God allow our past actions to so heavily influence our present and future actions? Why should He have so made us that the actions we "sow" today will incline us to certain, similar actions tomorrow to the point that our past actions transform our very characters and determine our destinies?

One reason we've already touched upon, the great gift of allowing us to participate in our own creation, but there is another, more important one - we are supposed to be like God. Indeed, we can only truly know man by first knowing God, or as the Second Vatican Council has it, "Christ, the final Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and His love, fully reveals man to man himself and makes his supreme calling clear. (Gaudium et Spes, 22). How, we might ask, does God act? In full accord with His nature - with His character. How, then, does He create us to act? In accord with our nature, with our character. Thus, God wants us to act habitually as this more perfectly resembles the way He acts.

This can be a great good for us, if we habituate virtue. If we, on the other hand, habituate vice (any vice) we can easily find ourselves more and more easily committing the same, and related, vices. Lie once and it becomes easier to do so again. Lie a few times and you might just develop a habit of telling falsehoods. This habit, over time, develops into a character - you become a liar, one who lies and that character can determine your eternal destiny (indeed, bearing false witness violates the Eighth Commandment when the topic is serious enough).

We, then, have to be very careful about the kind of habits we pick up along the way.

What does any of that have to do with "Demonic Temptation?" Well, we know this world isn't a playground (despite post-Enlightenment claims to the contrary), but a battlefield. We are here not for enjoyment, but for spiritual warfare. Who do we battle against? Who is out biggest foe? Satan and his evil minions. Thus, they desire nothing more than to "help" us develop evil habits, habits that they know will, ultimately, grow from the seeds of small acts into the oaks of character. Thus, according to the saints, a frequent demonic tactic is to sideline any Christian who is making progress toward God by tempting them. St. Anthony of the Desert, attests to this,

St. Anthony was no stranger to temptation

The demons, therefore, if they see all Christians... laboring cheerfully and advancing, first make an attack by temptation and place hinderances to hamper our way, to wit, evil thoughts.

Thus, if we are struggling against temptations, we can at least avail ourselves of this thought - we must be making progress enough to be worth tempting. This also means we shouldn't be surprised by the onslaught our spiritual enemies launch against us. In fact it might seem that the more devoted to Christ we are, the more tempted we become. Such is to be expected. Luckily, temptation is no sin. We need not fear temptations for they can be pathways to grow in virtue. Even temptations that arise from the demonic should not be feared, as St. Anthony goes on to attest,

But we need not fear their suggestions, for by prayer, fasting, and faith in the Lord their attack immediately fails. (Life of Saint Anthony, 23)

If you find your self struggling with sin, which - unless you are Mary, you probably are - don't lose heart. Avail yourself of the Sacraments (especially confession and the Eucharist) and keep the faith (for more encouragement to continue the struggle read this - Recurring Sin).

And always remember, God wants you to be free from sin more than even you want to be (He gave His Son just for this end, after all). You can be free, not from your own power (for apart from God we can do nothing - cf. Jn 15:5), but we can be free through His power (for with God all things are possible - cf. Phil 4:13).

Deus benedicat.  

Remembering JP2

Religious Education (CCD) starts back up tonight. I plan on showing the following short video on Saint Pope John Paul the Great from Chris Stefanick to introduce the children to a pope none of them remember. Truly a great man who piloted the bark of Peter courageously through some very difficult times. Enjoy...

Favorite Reads & More From 2014

Below is a short list of the books I've read or reread last year (I complied a similar list for 2013 last year) and some other stuff. Do you keep track of your reading? Have you read any of these titles? If so, what were your impressions of them? Is there any book you'd recommend I read or blog you'd recommend I follow in anno Domini 2015?

BOOKS:
(If there's a book you are interested in, click the title to be taken to Amazon to purchase - a part of your purchase goes to support the blog at no additional cost to you!)

1. The Fulfillment of All Desire - Ralph Martin

2. God's Birthday - Taylor Marshall

3. Thomas Aquinas in 50 Pages: A Layman's Quick Guide to Thomism - Taylor Marshall
4. A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God's Covenant Love in Scripture - Scott Hahn

5. The Philosophy of Tolkien: The Worldview Behind the Lord of the Rings - Peter Kreeft

6. Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei - Scott Hahn

7. Jesus Shock - Peter Kreeft

8. The Silver Chair (The Chronicles of Narnia #4) - CS Lewis 

9. The Way: The Essential Classic of Opus Dei's Founder - St Josemaría Escrivá

10. The Voyage of the 'Dawn Treader' (The Chronicles of Narnia, Book 5) - CS Lewis

11. The Urgency of the New Evangelization: Answering the Call - Ralph Martin

12. Answering Atheism: How to Make the Case for God with Logic and Charity - Trent Horn

13. Aquinas (A Beginner's Guide) - Edward Feser

14. Furrow - St. Josemaria Escriva

15. The Horse and His Boy - CS Lewis

16. Aquinas 101: A Basic Introduction to the Thought of Saint Thomas Aquinas - Francis Selman

17. Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life - CS Lewis

18. The Magician's Nephew (The Chronicles of Narnia) - CS Lewis

19. Autobiography of a Hunted Priest - John Gerrad

20. Saint John Paul the Great: His Five Loves - Jason Evert

21. Crossing the Tiber: Evangelical Protestants Discover the Historical Church - Steve Ray

22. Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion - Matthew Kelly

23. The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky

24. How to Share Your Faith with Anyone: A Practical Manual of Catholic Evangelization - Terry Barber

25. Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions - Benedict XVI

26. The Complete Thinker: The Marvelous Mind of G.K. Chesterton - Dale Alquist

27. Letters to an Atheist: Wrestling with Faith (Sheed & Ward Books) - Peter Kreeft

28. The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic - Matt Kelly

29. God's Choice - George Weigel

30. 56: Joe DiMaggio and the Last Magic Number in Sports - Kostya Kennedy

31. The Forge - St. Josemaria Escriva

32. Sword and Serpent - Dr. Taylor Marshall

33. The Fulfillment of All Desire - Ralph Martin
*. Innumerable children's books (the occupational hazard of being a dad & bibliophile)

ESSAYS AND OTHER SHORT WRITINGS:

1. Ineffabilis Deus - Pius IX

2. Supremi Apostolatus Officio - Leo XIII

3. The Church Evangelizing! - Bishop D. Zubik

4. Concerning Some Objections to the Church’s Teaching on the Reception of Holy Communion by  Divorced and Remarried Members of the Faithful - Card. Ratzinger
5. Selected Articles from the Summa Theologiae of Saint Thomas Aquinas

BOOKS OF THE BIBLE: (all in RSV-CE)

1. First Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy

2. Second Letter of St Paul to Timothy

3. Letter to the Hebrews

4. Gospel according to St Matthew

5. First Book of Maccabees

6. Second Book of Maccabees

7. Psalms 

8. Numbers

9. Joshua

10. Judges

11. Ruth

FAVORITE BLOGS OF THE YEAR:

1. Father Z's Blog (wdtprs)

2. Crisis Magazine

3. Dr. Ed Feser's Blog

4. In Light of the Law

5. Standing on My Head

6. CNA (Catholic News Agency)

FAVORITE PODCASTS/ LECTURE SITES OF THE YEAR:

1. Institute of Catholic Culture

2. Catholic Answers Live

3. Taylor Marshall Podcast

4. New Saint Thomas Institute

5. Around the Horn

6. Pardon the Interruption

PERSONAL PATRON SAINT OF 2014:

 Saint Josemaría Escrivá

TELEVISION PROGRAMS:

1. Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball

2. Kid's programming (lost of kids programming)

3. Around the Horn

4. The Blacklist
5. Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns (Includes The Tenth Inning)

6. Epic: A Journey Through Church History

7. The World Over with Raymond Arroyo

MUSIC:

1. Bach (lots of Bach)

2. Jovanotti

3. 90's music from Spotify
4. Lecrae
5. Jay Z Unplugged - a weakness from my ill-spent youth ;)

AND THEN THERE'S THIS (WHICH I CAN ONLY SECOND HEARTILY):
- Fr. Z's Blog Person of the Year 2014

Here's to a 2015 full of great books! Deus benedicat.

Epiphany: "Chalking the Door" and Other Traditions

Today, here in the United States, we anticipated the celebration of the Feast of Epiphany (which falls on January 6, but, again here in the US, was celebrated yesterday, the fourth). I made casual mention of one of my families Epiphany traditions on Google + and received the following comments,

which I thought I'd answer here for any other curious readers.

What is Epiphany?
Epiphany isn't exactly the celebration of the beginning of Christ's ministry, but several feasts we celebrate this time of the year, taken together, do mark the various theophanies of Christ, including the launch of His public ministry.

- December 25 - Christmas. Christ's Incarnation. Theophany to Israel.
- January 4 (this year) - Epiphany. Theophany to the Gentiles (see more below).
- January 11 (this year) - Baptism of the Lord. Theophany of the Trinity.
- January 18 (this year, traditional calendar) - Wedding of Cana. Christ's First Public Miracle.

Why is Epiphany a Theophany* to the Gentiles?
Which brings us back to the original question, what is epiphany. Epiphany is the celebration of the visit of the Three Wise Men from the Orient to the Infant Jesus. This great feast traditionally ends the "Twelve Days of Christmas" (yes, they are the twelve days after Christmas, not before). Thus, traditionally, the Sunday after Epiphany is the day to take down all those Christmas decorations and toss the tree (you haven't done that yet, right?). If that seems late, some places traditionally celebrated Christmas up to the Feast of the Purification of Mary (aka "Candlemas") in early February!

What's Up With the Chalk?
Because Epiphany is so close to the New Year, it is a long established custom to bless the front door of your home on Epiphany, asking for God to shower His Grace on all who enter through the door over the coming year. The blessing is represented by writing, typically with chalk (a reminder of the clay from which God made man - cf. Gen 2:7) that has been blessed at Epiphany Mass, the numbers of the year with the initial letters of each of the wise men's names, separated by crosses. So this year we wrote,

20+C+M+B+15

above the door.

The Bible Doesn't Give the Names of the Wise Men...
Yes, but the Bible isn't the only source of Revelation, Jesus is (Joe Heschmeyer at Shameless Popery just posted a great article on this). Tradition, and early tradition at that, has it that the three wise men, who certainly must have had names, were Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar. The three letters also stand for the Latin phrase "may Christ bless this house" (Christus mansionem benedicat).

What Prayer is Said During the House Blessing?
There are various prayers out there, but the one we use is,

Leader: Peace be to this house and to all who dwell here in the name of the Lord.
All: Blessed be God forever.
Leader: Read John 1:1-14 (I recommend going with the Douay-Rheims for an occasion like this)
Leader: Inscribe the blessing on the door or on the lintel.
All: Lord God of Heaven and earth, you revealed your only begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness and the keeping of your law. Fill us with the light of Chirst, that our love for each other mat go out to all. Father, bless all who gather here. Send your holy angel to defend us and fill with grace all who enter this door. We ask this though Christ our Lord. Amen.

Do you do anything else to celebrate Epiphany? 
We do! This is pretty much the end of out Christmas celebration (even though the decorations hang around for another week), so we try to make the most of it. First, upon waking, the children find small gifts and candy laying in wait for them (Epiphany being the day "La Befana" brings gifts to Italian children). We read the story of Befana (an old woman who declines to follow the wise men to visit the baby King, but has a change of heart. Sadly, it's too late. She now scours the Italian countryside - and some Italian American homes - in search of the Baby Jesus. As she doesn't know which baby He might be, she leaves gifts for all the kids she visits). Then, its off to Mass and back home for the house blessing. Afterwards we move the wise men to join the rest of the figures in the Nativity scene and spend the day visiting family.

*What is a Theophany?
A visible revelation of God to man; the burning bush would be an example from the Old Testament. The supreme theophany, of course, is the man Christ Jesus.

Is a Catholic Bound to Follow the Advice He Gets in the Confessional?

Is a Catholic bound to follow the advice he receives in the confessional from his confessor?

Unless a Catholic has made a particular vow to obey his confessor (as St. Teresa of Avila famously did), he isn't bound to obey the advice he receives in the confessional (or elsewhere) from father. We should do whatever penance we are proscribed, but any advice is just that - advice, and can be followed or not without sin. 

That being said, obedience itself is a virtue and a sign of humility. St. Gregory the Great, commenting on 1 Samuel 15:22 "obedience is better than sacrifices" says,

obedience is rightly preferred to sacrifices, because by sacrifices another's body is slain whereas by obedience we slay our own will. (Moral. XXXV)

and St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that,

the virtue of obedience, whereby we contemn our own will for God’s sake, is more praiseworthy than the other moral virtues, which contemn other goods for the sake of God. (Summa Theologiae, II-II, Q. 104, Art. 3)

Therefore, we see that, freely choosing to obey our confessor can be very meritorious and frequently can be the only way we conquer a certain defect. Nonetheless, to answer this direct question, it is not required of Catholics to absolutely obey the advice priests, or anyone else, may give them, unless they happen to have freely taken a vow to do so.