Children of God 

   “But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God, to those who believe in his name, who were born not by natural generation nor my human choice nor by man’s decision but of God.” (John 1: 11 – 13) 

   All are God’s children, even those who refuse to believe are His children though they may be alienated from Him by the choices they have made.  Just as a loving parent is joyful when a wayward child returns, so too is God when one of His children who have been lost find their way home.  The parable of the prodigal son found in Luke 15: 11 – 32 wonderfully assures us of such love from our Heavenly Father.

   We are destined to be with God as His children through all eternity.  The Baltimore Catechism tells us that we were created “ to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.”  This is our destiny; this is what God wants for all His children.

   Though we are predestined to be with Him in heaven, we are also given free will.  We can choose to reject our destiny, to reject God and heaven.  It is our choice, and sadly, many make the wrong choice.  Many accuse God of sending sinners to Hell, but it is the sinners who make the choice of Hell; God will forgive and welcome them home if they will repent and seek His forgiveness.

   We are children of God.  We have a Father in heaven who loves us and wants only what is best for us even though we may not recognize it at the time.  We are children of God; He wants us to spend eternity with Him.  It is up to us to decide; we can choose heaven or reject Him and choose hell.

 To Change Society 

   As I look around it’s easy to see that the world is at risk.  I’m not talking about the latest health crisis, climate change or any of the other crises the politicians use to scare us so that we will not notice the lies and deceptions they perpetrate upon us each day.

   The risk I’m talking about is the risk of losing all sense of morality and common sense.  There has always been evil and sin in the world; sometimes more and sometimes less.  However, in my 70+ years I’ve never seen immorality championed by so many, acting as if there is no price to pay for the evil being committed.  Not only do they support and promote immoral behaviors, everyone else is expected to do the same.  To refuse, to say “this is wrong”, is considered as blasphemy to the earthly gods they worship.

   Given that we, as individuals, can do little to change society how are we to respond?  I have a simple answer; we can life our lives as Christians and continue to reject evil in the world, wherever it may arise.

   We can begin in our family, the first “church” our children ever attend.  If our family life projects a life of faith our children will learn faith.  If it does not, we will most likely lose our children to society and its immoral ways.  As they mature most children at some point rebel, against parents and everything else; it seems to be part of growing up.  But some will also come to realize the truth of what they were taught and return.

   If we show the love of God to our spouse, our children, and our neighbors it will perhaps convince others to change as well.  As more and more people see the peace that our faith and love bring to us some may be convinced to try our way.   Maybe, just maybe, somewhere down the road, we can begin to change society after all.

 Courage 

   “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” (John 16: 33) 

   When we think of courage we usually think of those who have shown great courage in one way or another.  A martyr who willingly gave their live rather than deny their faith.  Or perhaps a war hero receiving the Medal of Honor.  Yet most of us will never be in a situation that would require such courage.  How are we to know if we have courage?

   It takes courage for a young, unmarried woman who has become pregnant to choose life and refuse abortion.  She will face the ridicule of many because of her choice.  Even the father of her baby might be insisting that she kill it.  She needs the support of  society, her friends and her family; support that is far too often missing.

   To speak up in the face of evil takes courage.  Society supports immorality in many ways and disparages those who do not fall in line with their demands.  There is the risk of losing friends if we take a stand against evil; we may even be ostracized by our own family.  In some cases, even loss of jobs and livelihood has been the cost for rebuking evil.

   For some simply getting up each day takes courage.  Some suffer from debilitating illnesses, others from loss of loved ones and aloneness.  Some suffer despair and depression, making it difficult to face each day with no hope for a better tomorrow.  We rarely know the courage some show in simply living each day.

   Courage comes in many forms and in many different ways.  Most often there is no recognition, medals, or awards; it is often unknown to others.  And yet this quiet courage and determination to face each day and whatever it may bring is what we are called to do in this life.

   The courage we need is the courage that God gives, a courage that will see us through the trials of this life and bring us home to Him.

 Speak Up for the Lord 

   “We’ve had enough of exhortations to be silent!  Cry out with a hundred thousand tongues.  I see that the world is rotten because of silence.” (St. Catherine of Siena) 

   Even in the time of St. Catherine the failure of good people to speak out against evil was evident.  The failure to confront evil continues today.  In the face of evil our silence is tantamount to at least acceptance and even worse, as approval.

   Those who wish to eliminate God from all public view are trying to silence Christians all over the world.  If we speak out against evil we are immediately dismissed as religious fanatics.  Worse, we are called homophobic, racist, misogynists and xenophobic.  If we can be silenced then Satan and his evil ways can prevail.

   Many today are afraid to show their faith for fear of being “cancelled” by a wicked and perverse society.  Rather than risk losing friends and even family they silently practice their faith, never daring to challenge the evil pervading our world.  In their silence they are allowing the voice of evil to be the only voice heard.

   I’m not suggesting that we all go out and stand on corners with signs saying, “The End Is Near” and preaching in the streets.  But I am saying that we need to have the courage to show our faith in our lives.  Christianity doesn’t stop at the doors to the church, it must be evident in the way we live.

   How many of us say grace in restaurants?  How many of us walk away when friends or co-workers begin gossiping or enjoying lewd jokes?  How many of us are willing to be known as faithful Christians in the work-place, the grocery store, and the world?  If we don’t speak up for the Lord, who will?

 Joy to the World 

   “Joy to the world, the Lord is come.  Let earth receive her King.  Let every heart prepare Him room and heaven and nature sing.” (“Joy to the World”, lyrics by Isaac Watts) 

   Everyone wants joy and happiness in their life, but life doesn’t always provide.  Even when we do find joy and happiness in this world it is usually short-lived.  However, there is great joy to be found if we only look for it in the right places.

   There is incredible joy in the love of a man and woman joined together in a sacramental marriage.  A marriage not only between the husband and wife but one that includes God and His will.  The love that God gives is never-ending and when we seek it in our married life our love for each other rises to far greater heights.

   The laughter of a small child, especially the chuckle of a baby still to young to really laugh but old enough to know happiness brings great joy.  Parents will do most anything to bring that laughter again and again into their lives.

   The joy of having God in our hearts brings a different kind of joy than the world can bring.  Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to you.” (John 14: 27).  The joy that God gives is, in the same way, not as the joy the world may give.  His joy is an everlasting joy far beyond this life; a joy that lasts through all eternity.

   Finding joy in this world is difficult and it does not last.  Finding joy in the Lord is easy and lasts forever.  When we open our hearts to Him, we will find the joy we seek.

 The Arrogance of Man 

   The media is flooded with incredible images from the new James Webb telescope.  We see hundreds of galaxies that were unknown before, billions and billions of light-years away.  To put this in perspective, one light-year is equal to about six trillion miles.  It’s amazing what man has learned and continues to learn.

   Not so long ago man believed that Earth was the center of the universe; that all revolved around this tiny little planet in the immensity of universe.  They were obviously quite wrong.

   As recently as the 1970’s we were warned that a new ice-age was inevitable.  We were warned that a passing comet would cause devastation to the world.  We were told that all computers would cease computing when we passed from 1999 to 2000 (remember Y2K).  None of these catastrophes occurred.

   Today we are told that mankind is the cause of climate change that will destroy the world.  We certainly have a responsibility to care for God’s creation and use it wisely, to do otherwise is foolish.  But only God created it and only God will destroy it.  I can’t help wondering what great destroyer of the world science will propose next. 

   There are theories of how the universe began and some, in their arrogance, claim they know how it happened, but the theories are just that, theories.  Some claim religion is anti-science, but the Big-bang theory was first proposed by a Catholic priest, Georges Lemaitre.  The question isn’t so much how it began as who set it in motion.  If there was a “big-bang” who lit the fuse?

   Our knowledge of science has and will continue to be proven incomplete and even wrong as more and more discoveries are made.  I have no doubt that we will continue to be an arrogant bunch, thinking we know best, even better than God.  But somehow, I think God smiles knowingly at such nonsense, and then allows mankind to discover again how wrong their earlier scientific “facts” were.

 Knowing Faith 

   I am a convert to Catholicism; in fact, you could even say I am a convert to Christianity.  There was very little experience with God or church in my childhood.  When people ask what I was before becoming Catholic, I usually answer that I was heathen.

   My wife, God rest her soul, was Catholic from birth and she brought me both to God and to the Catholic Church.  She never pushed, she never cajoled, but what I saw in her and her faith is what convinced me that I had to come to know God.  While she was not a learned theologian, she was a faithful woman who, by her example, taught me faith.

   As a convert I desired to know all I could about this new-found faith in God.  For years I studied and read the history and teachings of Christianity and the Catholic Church, as well as that of many other Christian denominations.  I spent three years in becoming a certified catechist in the Church; I enrolled in numerous college level theology classes.  All in an effort to better understand this thing called faith.

   I say this, not to brag, but because the most important thing I found was that faith cannot be learned in school.  We learn to love by the experience of  knowing one who loves, so too faith.  We cannot come to know faith in a lesson plan, but only by the grace of God.  Studying my faith was a great experience and I highly recommend it.  But way to truly know faith is by the example of one who is faithful.  And the greatest example of all is our Lord, Jesus Christ.

   Saint Thomas Aquinas said, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary.  To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”  We cannot come to faith except by the grace of God.  Ask and He will give it.

 Look to Christ 

   “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed.  If you look within, you’ll be depressed.  But if you look at Christ, you’ll be at rest.” (Corrie Ten Boom) 

   As Christians, we live in a world that is alien to us.  Evil is everywhere and God is pushed aside at every opportunity by society.  There seems to be little to give us hope and rest.

   I know of no place in the world where one could look and not be dismayed to some degree.  There are wars, atrocities committed against those who disagree with each other, murders, abortions, euthanasia.  There is no Garden of Eden, it was lost a long time ago.

   When I look within I see the evil I’ve done in the past, and the evil temptations Satan would have me commit in the present and in the future.  No matter how I try, I can never be without sin, it is as if sin is in my DNA.

   How can I reconcile what I see in the world and what is evident within myself with the love of God, a God who would send His only Son into the world to die for my sins?  How can there be this much love and why is it given to me, a sinner?

   What is necessary is to accept that there will be evil in the world and even within myself.  This is the price of original sin, it stains humanity for now and forever.  Somehow I must look past this fact and look only to the Lord.  I must get to the point where the focus and the priority is Jesus; all else must come after that.

   Amazingly, when I look at life that way, offering all my love to my Lord, I find I have more love to share with my family and friends.  The more I love Him, the more of His love I am given.  There is no limit to love, it is never-ending and eternal; it is not a commodity for which there can ever be a shortage.

   Living in this manner, doing my best to reject the world and it’s ways, doing all I can to live only for God, I find the peace that Jesus promised. 

   “Peace I bequeath to you, my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give, this is my gift to you.” (John 14: 27)

 Before the Crucifix 

   Each day I try to spend some time on my knees before the crucifix.  It is a time to look upon my Lord and Savior and thank Him for the incredible sacrifice He made for my redemption.  Through His passion, death, and resurrection, He offers me the opportunity of eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom.

   As I reflect upon His passion and death, I can’t help but sorrow for my sins, the sins which Jesus took upon Himself and carried to the cross for my salvation.  It should have been me who hung on that cross; I should have made atonement.  But a perfect sacrifice was necessary, and I am far from perfect.  My sacrifices, though appropriate, can never be pure, they could never atone for my sins.  Only the blood of the unblemished lamb, Jesus Christ, could atone for my sins and the sins of the world.

   I look to Him in thanksgiving, giving Him all glory and praise for all He’s done for me and all He continues to do.  I know that I can never repay Him though I wish there were a way.  What I can do is offer Him my life, to live for Him; my death, to die for Him; and all that comes in between.  Though I wish I could do more, I pray that my desire to serve Him in all things pleases Him.

   For the joys and happiness I’ve known and may know in the future, I give Him all praise and thanksgiving.  I offer Him the pain and sorrow that I have known and any pain and sorrow that is to come in the fervent hope that my suffering can somehow be united with His suffering for me.

   From the greatest evil ever known, the crucifixion of the Son of God came the greatest gift ever given, redemption for those who would believe.  I pray that, by the grace of God, some good may also come from any pain and suffering I may have to endure in this life.

   Then, on my knees before the crucifix, I thank Him again.

 Defeating Satan 

“Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.” (Eph 6: 11) 

   Some try to blame Satan for their sins saying, “The devil made me do it.”  But that is a lie.  With the help of God, we can turn the devil away and make him flee.

   We often give Satan far too much credit; we act as if he can force us to sin.  We claim he is more powerful than we are, and by ourselves this is often true.  We are weak and can easily fall victim to the devil’s lies.  But he can only tempt; we must agree to follow his temptations. 

   Satan is a master of disguise; he is a liar and the father of liars.  He may come to us as a loved one urging us to do what we know we shouldn’t.  He may appear as a trusted friend leading us down the wrong path.  He may even come to us as our priest or pastor, telling us that we are good Christians when we are not.

   I believe that deep inside we recognize when we are being led astray; it may be no more than a feeling of uneasiness, but if we pray and listen closely to our heart, we will know.  With the help of God, we can rebuke the devil when he comes.  In the name of Jesus, we can cause him to run from us.  The evil one cannot remain where there is prayer and faith and trust in God.

   Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6).  If we trust in Him and seek His strength, He will give us the power to defeat the Satan.

 Contemplation 

   No one can tell or explain to another how to contemplate.  It is a personal experience with God.  Meditation is not contemplation though they are related.  Reading cannot make us contemplative, but consideration of what we’ve read can.

   Contemplation is putting the bible aside after reading only one verse and spending the next thirty minutes considering what that verse means to you, today, in this moment.  It can be reliving the events of Christ’s life in our mind, imagining we are there with Him as they occur.  We too receive the loafs on the mountain with thousands of others; we are there when the water becomes wine in Cana.  We stand at the foot of the cross with the Blessed Mother as Christ hangs dying.

   Christianity without contemplation has room to grow and develop.  If we aren’t quietly, prayerfully considering what our faith means in our life, it’s likely that faith needs to grow.  Faith, like contemplation, is not something we can achieve on our own; it is a gift from God.  We need to nurture that gift and help it to grow.  Contemplation and prayer are the water and sunlight that faith needs to increase.

   With certainty I can say that spending a few minutes each day in contemplation and solitude with our Lord can do more to bring you nearer to Him than most anything else we may do.  Go to Mass and receive the Holy Eucharist (daily if possible), confess your sins frequently, read scripture and spiritually enlightening books, pray always.  Then take the time to sit quietly with the Lord and let Him lead the conversation, listen to what He’s saying to you and asking of you.  The journey will lead you home.

 Days End 

   As the day draws to a close it’s good to look back and recall the ups and downs of the day from both the earthly and spiritual point of view.  When we revisit the day, we find many things that have simply gone by without notice, the many blessings of the day, the unconscious and unintended failures to follow God’s will in our life.

   Did we rush through the day not noticing the beauty of God’s creation?  Did we take the time to see the beauty of this world?  It’s amazing how each sunrise is different, never quite the same.   Listen to the birds waking up, singing to greet the day.  Did we take notice of all the wonders of God’s universe or remain wrapped up in our own little world?

   We are called to love our neighbor.  Did we do so in our actions and attitudes this day?  Did we give Him thanks for the love and fellowship of friends and family?  Did we reach out to someone who might have just needed a smile and pleasant word or did we never take the time to even notice those around us?

   We are called to love God.  Did we go to Mass or at least spend some time in prayer?  We spend so much of the day worrying about and taking care of earthly matters but taking little if any time to thank God for all He’s done for us.  A few minutes each day sitting quietly with our Lord, communing with Him, and just placing ourselves in His presence can add so much joy and peace to the day.

   The days come and the days go, but we rarely consider that each could be our last.  When that day comes, as it must, will we be able to look back over the days of our life, confident that we have loved God and neighbor?  Have we tried to live for Him or for our own selfish desires?  Have we lived a life that will let Christ say to us, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father.  Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt 25: 34)

 Mistake and Sins 

   Not a day goes by that I don’t make mistakes and sin.  How I wish I could avoid them.  Yet, I am human, and humans are prone to mistakes.  Just ask Adam and Eve.

   Even though I regret the mistakes I make there is some good that comes even from those mistakes.  They remind me of how fallible I am and teach me humility.  It’s hard to be prideful when I can’t even get through a day without committing blunders of some kind.

   There is some comfort in the fact that I am not alone, we all make mistakes.  Even St. Peter made the mistake of denying that he even knew Jesus rather than risk being arrested with Him.  And poor Judas, what a mistake he made.  He knew it, he went back to try to correct it by giving back the money he was paid to betray the Lord but was rebuked in his efforts.  Then he made an even greater mistake; he failed to realize that Jesus would have forgiven him even of his betrayal.

   No one is immune, but we can’t give up.  We must try to avoid sin even though we will make mistakes and sin every day.  The biggest mistake we can make is the one Judas made; come to believe that our mistakes are so grievous that Jesus will not forgive.  We have a loving, merciful God who wants to forgive.  “Come now, let us set things right, says the Lord.  Though your sins be like scarlet, they may become white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they may become white a wool.” (Is 1: 18)

   We will make mistakes, we will commit sin, such is the bane of humanity.  But we are defined by our trust in God and His willingness to forgive a repentant sinner, and the courage to get up and try again.

 Run the Race 

   “Every athlete exercises discipline in every way.  They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one.” (1 Cor 9: 25) 

   The crown we seek is not a crown of earthly value but one of eternal life.  But if we are to win this crown we must prepare, we must sacrifice, we must try with all our strength to win the race.

   People sacrifice many things to win the crowns of this world.  Athletes spend hours and hours strengthening their bodies to win a medal of gold.  Their life is one of constant training, a regimen most of us couldn’t, or wouldn’t endure.  Yet their physical prowess will fade with age and the medals and awards will be only a reminder of what they used to be.

   Musicians spend hours in practicing their instrument.  To gain a seat in a noted orchestra is a goal that demands much.  Often they begin taking lessons as young children, foregoing the normal activities of childhood.  Their goal requires absolute devotion to the constant development of their talents.

   The same is true in many other endeavors.  To reach the desired goal requires discipline, devotion and a determination to succeed.  Many forfeit so much of their lives to attaining those goals and many will fail.  They believe the effort to try is worth the pain and even the possibility of failure.

   But what of the goal of eternal life in the kingdom of God?  How much time and effort are we putting into attaining the one goal that all can win?  Are we willing to forego the pleasures and desires of this world to win eternal life or are we Sunday Christians, going to church on Sunday and little or nothing else throughout the week?

   Will we be able to join St. Paul in saying, “I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.” (2 Tim 4: 7 – 8)

 The Voice of Truth 

   “Out of all the voices calling out to me I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth.” (“The Voice of Truth”, recorded by Casting Crowns, lyrics by Steven Curtis Chapman and John Mark Hall) 

   There are voices calling to us, voices that want to help and voices that want to harm.  There is only one voice that never wants to harm, but always to help; the voice of God.

   In a world where everyone seems to have their own agenda and is quite willing to bend or simply ignore the truth, it can be very difficult to discern what is truth and what is not.  Even some of those who we should be able to trust to help us hear and understand the word of God sometimes mislead as well. How are we to resolve this dilemma?

   We must turn to the one who always wants only what is best for us; the one who will never mislead, who will never lie to us.  We must turn to God in prayer.  If we sincerely seek His will and His truth He will not refuse to answer.   In the silence of our heart, as we commune with our Lord, there is peace to be found in the truth.  We must reject the voices of lies and deceit and listen to His voice; the Voice of Truth.

 In His Hands 

   There’s an old gospel song that says, “He’s got the whole world in His hands.”  In a troubled world we can find much peace in that truth; He really does have the whole world in His hands.

   The world around us sometimes seems to be falling apart.  We look around and begin to wonder if the end of the world is near.  Yet, there have been worse times than those of today and the world is still here.  Things may even get worse, but still, it is God and God alone, who will determine when the end will come.  “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matt 24: 26).

   Until that day comes we can take heart in the knowledge that God is in charge.  Even though it may seem hopeless at times, there is always hope in God.  If we cling to that hope and trust in His promises we can overcome the trials and tribulations this world may bring.

   The woes of our nation and society are painful; they cause great distress.  But the whole world in His hands.

   The seeming upheaval in the Church causes the faithful much angst and perplexes many.  But the whole world is in His hands.

   We seem to be on the fast track to destruction.  We fear what will come next.  But the whole world is in His hands.

   It can be difficult to keep this truth in mind, but we must.  If we are to have any peace in this world that peace can only come from our Heavenly Father.  We must remember, accept and trust that He has, always has had, and always will have, the whole world in His hands.

 Prayer of Thomas Merton 

   Sometimes I feel lost, like I’m not sure that I am on the right track.  Am I doing God’s will or mine?  Is my life one of devotion to God; one that will cause me to be welcomed into His heavenly kingdom?  Years ago, I found a prayer written by Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk.  It has brought be me peace and encouragement over the years.  I offer it in hopes that it may help you in those times when you also feel lost. 

My Lord God,

I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

 

Nor do I really know myself,

and the fact that I think I am following

your will does not mean

that I am actually doing so.

 

But I believe that my desire to please you

does in fact please you.

And I hope that I have that desire

in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything

apart from that desire.

 

And I know that if I do this

you will lead me by the right road

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore, will I trust you always

though I may seem to be lost

and in the shadow of death.

 

I will not fear,

for you are ever with me,

and you will never leave me

to face my perils alone.

 The Day of The Lord 

   “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then with a roar the sky will vanish, the elements will catch fire and fall apart, the earth and all that it contains will be burnt up.” (2 Peter 3: 10) 

   This world is on a path to destruction; it has been since it was created.  We can’t stop it; we can’t even delay it.  The day and time are known only to God and has been known since before time began.  God will, at His chosen time, destroy this world.

   “But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for a new heavens and a new earth where righteousness is at home.” (2 Peter 3: 13).  As Christians we should look forward with great anticipation and joy for His promise to be fulfilled.  Still, we must live in the world as it is for the present.  In doing so we have to continue to live as if the new heavens and new earth are coming today.  We can’t put off preparing ourselves for the end, whether it be the end of the world or just the end of our life in this world.

   Each day we need to ask ourselves two questions; if this is the day, am I ready?  If not, what do I need to do to become ready?   These are the most important questions of all, the only ones that really matter.  Our lives are so taken up with planning for things of this world, things that may never occur, that we often neglect the one thing that is certain.

   I write this not to be morbid or pessimistic but because I know that my life on this earth will one day come to an end.  All the plans I’ve made, anything that I may have accomplished, will count for nothing when that day comes.  All that will matter is the preparation I’ve made for eternal life in God’s heavenly kingdom.

 

 The Will of God 

   “When you pray, you only have to ask for two things:  You should ask for the light to see the will of God, and you have to ask for the courage to be able to do the will of God.” (Venerable Msgr. Aloysius Schwartz) 

   Our prayers are sometimes little more than a laundry list of earthly desires that we want God to provide.  We treat the Creator of all as a Father who wishes to spoil His children by giving them whatever they ask.  This is not seeking God’s will, this is selfishness.

   It’s often hard to accept the will of God.  There are times when things occur that cause great pain and sorrow and we can’t understand why.  And yet we know that the will of God is always for the best, even when we can’t understand.  God's will is always for our good, never evil.  This fact we must accept, trusting always in Him.

   Sometimes in our prayers we convince ourselves that God, through the Holy Spirit, is guiding us when in truth we are guiding ourselves and arrogantly assuming the Spirit has confirmed our desires.  I experienced this several years ago when I became convinced that I was called to the Deaconate.  It took the rebuke of three attempts to teach me that it was my desire, not the Holy Spirit that was leading me.

   God’s ways are so far above our ways that we dare not assume that what we desire conforms to His plans.  When things go as we wish our prayers are to be of thanksgiving and praise.  When tragedy or hardship comes, our prayer must be one of acceptance of His will.  In those times our prayer should be that of our Lord, Jesus Christ in Gethsemane, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matt 26: 39)

 The Reality of Evil 

   When was the last time your priest or pastor spoke of evil?  How often are you warned from the pulpit of the devil and his desire to bring you to hell with him?  I suspect evil and Satan are rarely spoken of and yet recognition of evil and the devil are absolutely necessary if we are to attain the kingdom of God.

   There is no question that evil exists in the world, history records its presence quite well.  Rome had their coliseum where barbaric battles between humans and animals were held for entertainment.  Gladiators were to fight to the death and if they refused to kill their opponent could be killed themselves at the whim of the crowd.

   Hitler’s regime murdered millions of Jews along with gypsies, homosexuals, Catholics, and any other group he considered inferior or opposed to his “final solution”.  Many were subjected to horrible medical experimentation prior to being incinerated in the furnaces of the death  camps.

   Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, spoke openly and proudly of her belief in eugenics, insisting that those who were considered unfit should be eliminated.  Abortion was one of the tools she saw as instrumental in eliminated those she considered unfit to live, a burden on society.

   Evil continues today and will continue until the Lord comes again in glory.  We cannot eliminate it, but we must speak of it, recognize it, and resist it.  If not, we become part of the evil.  “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil:  God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer). 

 Patience 

   Everyone is in a hurry these days.  Waiting seems to be the bane of mankind. Waiting in line in traffic, standing in the check-out at stores and, the worst, sitting in doctor’s office waiting for appointments that are hardly ever met on time.  It can be frustrating.

   However, I’ve recently begun to see waiting not as an annoyance but as an opportunity.  Instead of complaining about the wait I put the time to the best use I can think of – prayer and communing with God.

   When standing in line at the grocery, take the time to say a prayer of thanksgiving that we are blessed with such a plentiful supply of food and the means to buy it.  Greet someone in line with you.  A pleasant smile and sincere “Good morning” might be the only nice thing they’ve heard all day.  It might also help them to bear the wait a little easier.

   Sitting in the doctor’s office can be used to thank the Lord for the medical advances that make our lives easier, resolving many issues that not long ago had no resolution.

   Even sitting stopped at a red light can be a time to say a simple prayer thanking the Lord for all He’s done and the many blessings He has given us.

   Patience is a grace from God, one that eliminates many frustrations in life.  Waiting is an excellent time to thank Him for the gift of patience and ask for more of it in our life.

 What Am I to Say Lord? 

   “You will be given at that moment what you are to say.  For it will not be you who will speak but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matt 10: 19 – 20) 

   There are days when I begin to write this blog when I have no idea what to say.  Today is one of those days.

   I’ve often tried to look for quotes from the saints and others to spark an idea.  I sometimes turn to the psalms and scripture for inspiration.  On occasion something the priest has said at Mass will spark a thought that I can include.  And sometimes nothing seems to work.

   Jesus told His apostles that the Holy Spirit would give them what they are to say when they were brought before courts, governors, and kings.  When I read the Acts of the Apostles and the many letters of the New Testament this is proven to be true.

   I would like to be able to say that on days when I am at a loss, it is the Holy Spirit that gives me the words, but in humility I dare not claim such a thing.  All I know is there are times when nothing is there in this brain of mine until I begin to write what becomes my blog for the day.

   My words or the Spirit’s words?  In my heart I pray that the Spirit is guiding me.  I will share the words that come to me and hope they may help one who reads them to come closer to God.

 What To Pray For 

   “God is not in the business of tweaking.  He’s in the business of transformation.” (Matthew Kelly, “Rediscover Jesus”) 

   We pray for too little.  We ask God to make small adjustments in our life when what He wants is to remake our life.  The minutia we often pray for is an insult to the life He wishes us to have.

   The Baltimore Catechism tells me that “God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in Heaven.”  He didn’t make me to be wealthy though there is nothing wrong with wealth when used properly.  He didn’t make me to be famous or well-known in the world.  There is no need for physical prowess or beauty.  All of these are things many ask for in prayer.

   Rather, we need to ask God to make us the person He created us to be.  He wants to make us holy and take us to Himself.  Our prayer should be to live according to His will and accept the rest as it may come or go.

   Prayers for a sunny day when there is a picnic planned are fine, asking for health is certainly appropriate, as is praying for the well-being of others.  But our prayers must always be subject to the will of God.  Most of all let us pray that He transform us into the person He intended us to be.

 Past and Future 

   Lately my life seems to be consisting more and more of memories.  Perhaps because I’m getting older and there are a lot of them to recall.  It could also be because I’ve given up on television and most other forms of so-called entertainment.  Whatever the reason I spend a lot of time recalling events from long and not so long ago.

   Many of these memories are happy and joyful ones, ones that I thoroughly enjoy reliving.  I remember the many places my wife and I traveled, the cruises we took and cities we’ve visited around the world.  I also enjoy remembering special events in the lives of our children; their births, birthdays and everything from beginning kindergarten to obtaining college degrees.  In some ways I look at the great memories of the past as perhaps a prelude to the joy and happiness that awaits in heaven.

   However, there are also many memories I would prefer not to recall; memories of pain and sorrow, of times of trouble and strife.  Most of all I sorrow for the many sins of my life.  I wish there were some way I could go back and rewrite my life, taking out the evil I have done and the hurt I may have caused others.  But there is no going back, only regret and sorrow for the wrong I’ve done in the past.  I sometimes consider these memories as a part of my penance for the sins I’ve committed and can never go back and undo.

   Whether the memories are good ones or bad ones, they lead me to give thanks to my Lord.  I thank Him for the joy and happiness of the pleasant memories and hope for the perfect joy of eternal life in His presence.  I thank Him also for the bad memories, the ones that bring me sorrow and regrets.  I stand in awe, giving humble thanks for His mercy and forgiveness.

   I must live with my memories, those I love and those I’d rather forget.  I can’t go back and relive the good memories and I can’t go back and fix the bad ones, but I can go forward trying to create only the good memories and doing all in my power to never again sin and offend my Lord.

 False Gods 

“Now, therefore, put away the foreign gods that are among you and turn your hearts to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (Joshua 24: 33) 

   The Israelites, the chosen people of God, never seemed to understand that they must put away all false gods and worship only the one true God.  Over and over they paid homage to foreign gods, the gods of the pagans among them.  Over and over they suffered for their infidelity to God.

   The worship of false gods continues today.  Society has chosen to give homage to the false gods of the world, rejecting the one true God.  They care only for self and selfish wants and desires.

   Physical beauty is one of the false gods of today.  Many go to great length, even mutilating their bodies in order to achieve what the world calls beauty.   But physical beauty is a god that can never be satisfied; it will never last.  True and lasting beauty lies within us.

   Others worship money.  Their god has a dollar sign attached and some will go to any length to get more.  Families are often destroyed, excessive stress in the never-ending effort to obtain increasingly greater wealth sometimes leads to physical and emotional issues and even suicide.  No matter the balance of the bank account, on the day of their death it will all belong to another.  A life worshipping a false god is a life wasted.

   Worst of all is the god of pleasure.  It is this god that says there are no rules; nothing is forbidden.  “If it feels good, do it” is the mantra of those who worship this god.  Sexual promiscuity, lies, cheating; all are fine if some warped sense of happiness or physical pleasure can be achieved.  There is no lasting happiness to be found except in God.  All else is temporary at best and, at worst, leads to eventual destruction.

   There are a multitude of false gods leading to hell, but there is only one God who will lead us to heaven.  “Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17: 3)

 Trust In His Word 

   “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matt 24: 35) 

   When the world begins to intrude into my life, the quickest and most effective way to bring myself back to where I need to be is by prayer and giving thanks to God.  In this way I can withdraw from the frustrations of life and look to the promises of Christ.  Those promises make the woes of this world much easier to bear.

   We cannot allow the world to overcome us, we must have trust in the promises of Christ.  There is no problem so great, no cross so heavy that it cannot be overcome with the help of our Lord.  At the last supper Jesus told His apostles "Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You have faith in God; have faith also in me.” (John 14: 1).  That faith is what sustains me in a world gone mad.

   The world is a messy place.  Evil and immorality runs rampant.  But this is nothing new, and not something that will go away until the final day, when Jesus comes again in glory.  Until then we must look to that day and trust in the many promises of our Lord.  He will not abandon, He will not desert His chosen ones.  “In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." (John 16: 33).  He has promised and He keeps His promises.

   The world and all within in it will pass away, its days are numbered.  He will come again in glory and make all things new.  “Yes, I am coming soon.’  Amen!  Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22: 20). 

 Away From the Maddening Crowd 

   “He said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’” (Mark 6: 31) 

   For many years I’ve tried to take a three or four day retreat each year.  A time to shut out the world and simply be with the Lord.  To pray, to read, to just sit in silent contemplation.  It refreshes my soul and strengthens me.

   The early desert Fathers left the cities and the populated areas to escape the immorality and sinfulness present there.  They went to the desert or other isolated areas to be alone with God.  It wasn’t unusual for a few of them to come together occasionally for fellowship and sharing, but it was somewhat rare.  Though not as well known, there were also several desert Mothers, women who chose the same way of life.

   There is a certain urge in me for solitude and silence.  In the past I’ve satisfied this urge by my annual retreats.  However, in recent weeks and months I’ve begun to wonder if I need to go on retreat more than once a year.  Everywhere I look I see immorality and sinfulness; people who not only reject God but are adamant to remove all mention or knowledge of Him from society.  They would deny it, but without God there can be no society.

   Perhaps there will again be desert Fathers and Mothers, those who can no longer tolerate the ways of society and choose to remove themselves.  I see an example of this in the families who have chosen to live near the Benedictine Abbey I visit.  They have rejected societal ways and chosen the ways of God.  They are a wonderful example of living for God, not self.

   In a few weeks I will, God willing, return to the Abbey for a few days of quiet and solitude.  I look forward to the Godliness and peace of soul that I will find there.  I need to go away to a quiet place by myself and be with my Lord.  I need to get away from the maddening crowd.

 A World at War 

   We are at war and the sooner we recognize that the better off we will be.  The battle began long before we were born and will continue long after we are gone.  There will be times of some calm and times of heated battle, but the end is known.  When our Lord comes again in glory He will make all things new.

   On a cross at Calvary Jesus won the war though the battles continue even today.  He left His church to fight the battles here in this world, to uphold and defend His majesty and glory.  As in any war there have been many casualties, martyrs who have joyfully gone to their death rather than betray their faith.  I believe there will be many more who will be martyred for their faith before this world comes to its end.

   How are we to fight this war?  On our knees in prayer.  St. Philip Neri said, “There is nothing the devil fears so much or so much tries to hinder as prayer.”  Our prayers are the weapons with which we fight this battle.  Cursing Satan and his armies is of no use; only our prayers are effective in this war.

   The war appears to be heating up again as it has many times before.  Christianity is under attack.  Civility is under attack.  Common sense is under attack.  Let us put on the armor of God and prepare for the battle.  Through the power of prayer let us call down the warriors of heaven to fight alongside us.  Let us take heart and engage the enemy.

 The Truth About Life 

   The name Satan means “accuser” or “adversary”.  The name Devil comes from the Greek diabolos, “slanderer” or “accuser”.  In scripture Satan is described as “a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8: 44).  Satan is real, and society has chosen to believe his lies.  One of the most heinous lies Satan has told is the lie that says we have the right to decide who should live and who should not.

   Medical science routinely looks for a heartbeat to determine if life is present.  Without a beating heart there can be no life; if there is a heartbeat, there is life.

   And yet we are told that a baby’s heartbeat in the womb does not constitute life.  A heartbeat means life and a human heartbeat means human life.  Taking it a step further, at conception a new human DNA is created; one that has never been seen before and one that will never be repeated.  A human DNA, a human heart, a human in all respects.  The only difference between a baby at conception and a healthy adult person is time.

   Society, through the lies of Satan, has come to believe that it’s perfectly fine to kill babies in the womb.  The truth is that destroying that human life is no different than destroying any other human life.  It is the murder of the most innocent of all.

   Human life, in the womb, in the world, even at the final moments before death occurs is a gift of God.  Society does not have the right to decide which should be allowed and which should be denied.  A society that denies God and follows the lies of Satan cannot long endure.

   Pray that we may return to the truth and reject the lies before it is too late.

 The Power of the Tongue 

   “Consider how a small fire can set a huge forest ablaze.  The tongue is also a fire.  It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our life on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed , but no human being can tame the tongue.” (James 3: 5 – 8) 

   Many times I’ve spoken only to regret the words I said.  How many times I’ve wished I could take back the hurtful things I’ve said to another.  In many ways my tongue is my enemy.  Sometimes it seems as if it has a mind of its own, one beyond my control.

   Half truths and opinions are plentiful and far too often are offered as rock solid fact.  When I speak my words affect others, even to the point of misleading them if what I say is confusing or mistaken.  It’s on my soul if I willingly mislead, but even when it is done inadvertently much damage can be done.

   I’ve come to believe that its best to say nothing rather than chance misleading or hurting others.  But, as St. James reminds me, no human can tame their tongue.  Far too often I find that I’ve spoken before I thought; the words, once said, can never be recalled or changed.  I can retract and/or revise what I’ve said, but often the damage has already been done and cannot be undone.

   Jesus said, “It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles that person; but what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” (Matt 15: 11).  The tongue can give praise and thanks one minute and then spew venomous hatred the next.  There is an old saying that is quite appropriate, “If you can’t say something good, it’s best to say nothing at all.” 

 Trying Too Hard 

   There is no trick, lie, or deception Satan will not use to steal a soul from God.  Sometimes I believe he even encourages us to do more and more in our efforts to serve God.  In this way he can sometimes push us to do far more than we are capable of, causing us to feel overworked and unappreciated, becoming resentful even of God.

   God knows our limits and we need to know them as well.  Some feel that no matter what is asked, they can’t say no, so they take on more than anyone can effectively manage.  We can all contribute and certainly there should be more who are willing to contribute, but there is only so much one person can do.

   Service to God is a way of expressing our love for Him and more Christians should show their love in this way.  However, we cannot serve Him well when we are overwhelmed, feeling frustrated in our efforts.  When we are exhausted by all we do, it’s time to question if we are pushing too hard, to our own spiritual detriment.

   We are called to serve God, but we must serve to our abilities, not beyond.  Overreach is always a formula for failure and disappointment.  God does not expect the impossible, but Satan will encourage it – just one more way the evil one tries to trap us for himself.