All the Help We Need 

   “The devil is afraid of us when we pray and make sacrifices.  He also is afraid when we are humble and good.  He is especially afraid when we love Jesus very much.  He runs when we make the sign of the cross.” (St. Anthony of the Desert) 

   There is a war being fought inside of me every second of every day.  It is a war between good and evil.  The war is not easy, but it can be won.  In fact, it has already been won.  Jesus won the war on the cross at Calvary, though there are still battles to be fought.

   Satan is an expert in packaging evil in a beautiful wrapper to convince me to choose wickedness.  He can wrap an abomination in such worldly appeal as to make it appear to be the work of God.  He can tell a lie so convincing that it is nearly impossible not to believe.  He is a gifted warrior and has a trained army of demons at His side.

   But I have a greater warrior and a larger, better equipped army at my side.  I have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to help me recognize the lies and tricks of Satan.  I have the angels and saints standing beside me to give me strength.

“Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph 6: 10).”  St. Paul gives me the solution to successfully battle Satan; it is the whole armor of God.  No sword of Satan can penetrate such armor.

   Our Lord stands at the ready to defend me, to help me to overcome the tricks and deceptions of the evil one.  The angels and the saints will join me in the battle.  With such an army on my side Satan doesn’t stand a chance.  The battle will continue, but the war has been won.

 Yes Lord 

   “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’  And I said, ‘Here I am, send me!’” (Isaiah 6: 8). 

   “Yes” to the Lord cannot include conditions; there are no if’s and’s or but’s.  When a would be follower asked Jesus to let him go and bury his father first Jesus’ response was, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.” (Matt (8: 23).  It was not an offense to love of family, it was a clear statement of what it means to say yes to the Lord.  Jesus was offering the disciple, who had been dead due to sin, new life.

   Too many times I think many of us, myself included, want to put conditions on our faith.  We want to practice our faith when it is convenient, when we have the time.  If we miss prayer time, we will just make it up later, if we have the time.  We tend to forget that it was certainly not convenient for Jesus to be nailed to the cross, to suffer and die for our sins.

   If we go to the Lord saying, “Yes, Lord,” while adding, “here is how I will serve  you”, we have missed the point.  We act as if God needs us, but He doesn’t.  Everything we have came from Him, our very life included.  There is nothing we have and nothing within us that God needs, but still He wants us.  But He wants us without conditions, no strings attached.

   What God wants from us is our love, unconditioned, with no reservations.  Jesus loved us so much that He gave His life that we might have the chance to spend eternity in God’s heavenly kingdom.  He reopened the doors closed by the sins of Adam and Eve.  He will welcome us with open arms if we simply say, “Yes, Lord!”

 

 Be Still, Listen, Then Act 

   “Be still and know that I am God!” (Psalm 46: 11) 

   I think the exclamation point at the end of the verse is important; as least to me.  Sometimes I need my God to be emphatic, to tell me to shut up and listen.  Like many men, and I suspect more than most, I want to be the one making the decisions in life.

   Even in simple household things, little things like which way the toilet tissue must be placed on the holder, the way towels and sheets are folded and put away; and heaven forbid a picture is hanging even slightly askew.  My wife, rest her soul, used to tell me I was anal about such things.  I think it was her gentler way of telling me that I could be a stubborn ass at times.  She was right, of course.

   Even in my spiritual life this fault comes into play.  Rather than quietly follow the voice of God, I want to speak up and put in my two cents worth.  He will lead, and He will lead me where I need to go.  But I must shut up, listen, and follow, because He will also let me take the lead and go astray if I insist.

“Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Fill me with life anew.

That I may love what thou dost love,

And do what thou wouldst do.”

(“O Breathe on Me, Breath of God”; text by Edwin Hatch 1835 – 1839)

 

   I need to listen often to those words, then sit quietly seeking His will, doing what He would have me do.  If I can do this, I can serve Him as I should.

 

 Down Time 

   Down time, time away from the normal routine can be a good thing and is needed at times.  I believe there are three types of down times.

   The first is the time we take away from work and spend time with our families.  The trips we may take, the places we see as a family help build family relationships as well as giving memories that last a lifetime.  I remember the first time we took the kids to Disney World.  The joy my wife and I shared on that trip was mainly brought about by happiness we saw in the kids.  I still remember the weird looks when people would open an over-head bin on the airplane and find it filled with the huge stuffed Pluto my oldest daughter had insisted on having.

   The same type of time away brings a different, but in some ways more happiness; when it’s just the two sharing a new adventure together.  I remember the day my wife walked in and asked if I wanted to go to Paris next week.  She had found a great deal on the trip, so we took it.  We had a great time.  Paris was such a special place to share with the most special woman in the world.

   I recently experienced another type of down time.  I took a week and went to a Benedictine Abbey for retreat.  No phones, no computer, just the beauty of rural Oklahoma and the abbey.  It was a week of time with my Lord, seeking to better understand His will for me and my life.  I highly recommend that everyone take some time away from the world and spend it alone with God.

   The last type of down time is what I’ve known the last several days; one that came not by choice but by illness.  I didn’t have Covid, and they tell me I didn’t have the flu, so just a nasty cold I guess.  But one that was debilitating and that I am still not completely over.  However, I found that even this unplanned, undesired down time had some advantages; it gave me plenty of time to read and speak with the Lord.  At times I could barely do anything else.  I became so aware of the blessing of health that I and most everyone seem to take for granted.

   Whether for fun with family or just with that special person, a planned time away with the Lord, or even a period of sickness, they all remind me of the many blessings of God.

 The Beauty of the Psalms 

   There is wisdom and knowledge in all of the psalms. They give us comfort and hope in our life.  In the psalms we find great praise and thanksgiving for the many blessings of God.  One of the things I love about praying the Divine Offices, the Liturgy of the Hours, is that they bring the psalms to me.  When using the Monastic Diurnal and some earlier versions of the Roman Breviary, I read all of the psalms on a weekly basis.  That may sound like a lot, but remember, the early desert fathers recited all 150 of them each day, mostly from memory.

   My favorite psalms are psalm 139 and psalm 119.  Psalm 139 praises the all-knowing, all present God who is in our lives.  Everything we are or will become is know to Him.  He created us, He has a plan for us.  If we will follow that plan He has a heavenly kingdom prepared for us.  Meditating upon this psalm will give us a better understand of God’s presence in our life and all that exists, helping us to more fully trust in His ways.

   With 176 verses, psalm 119 is the longest of the psalms.  It speaks to the glory of God’s word, giving Him all praise and glory for the torah.  It prays for the protection of sinners who would attack those faithful to the law.  It speaks of the delights and consolations of God’s law and laments for those who would disobey it.  It begs for the wisdom to understand the law and for the rewards of remaining true to it.  Contemplating on this psalm, a few verses at a time, will bring a greater knowledge and desire to follow the will of God.

   There is tremendous help for us in the psalms.  Spending some time each day studying and reflecting on them is a wonderful way to grow closer and closer to God.

 Arguing With God 

   “When you are arguing against God you are arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all.” (C. S. Lewis) 

   Try as you may, you will never win an argument with God.  You can deny Him, you can reject Him, you can try to ignore Him, but there is no argument that can be made with God.  To try is futile.

   All Christians consider the Holy Scripture to be the divinely inspired word of God.  Trying to redefine those words or twist them one way or another to suit one’s own purposes is tantamount to an argument with the One who is unarguable.  The result can only be frustration.

   We want to make things say and mean what we wish they would, what our earthly desires would like them to mean.  Adam and Eve tried the same thing; they sought to know right from wrong so they could define good and evil for themselves.  By their efforts, they destroyed the one paradise this world has ever known.

   Contemplate the words of God, study them, just sit and think about them.  But never believe that you, a mere human, can change the words or the meanings of the words of the Immortal One, the One who created all.  He created you, He created your intellect, and He will help you understand the truth of His words and how to apply them to your life.

   To be successful, to attain eternal life in His kingdom, we must quit trying to change Him and His truths and start changing ourselves.

 Choose 

   “The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision.  It is a silent acquiescence to the evil.” (Bishop Fulton J. Sheen) 

   Society frowns upon those who dare to speak up against the evil and sinfulness that is so prevalent.  They say it’s none of your business what others do, so just keep your mouth shut.  More and more those who speak up are ostracized and even threatened with legal action for professing their faith.

   The question is will we allow ourselves to be bullied into silence?  Will we have the courage and strength to stand up for what is right?  This decision becomes more and more important with each day we wait.  Even in the church we must expect and even demand that our priests, bishops and all the clergy, including the Pope preach the truth of God and quit trying to satisfy society.  Society cannot save us, only Jesus and His truths can lead us to heaven.

   “I foresee a day when the enemy will be both outside and inside the church.  And I pray for the poor faithful who will be caught in the crossfire.” (Cardinal John Henry Newman).  That day has come, that day is now.

   We, the laity, are caught in the middle of a great spiritual war and we must have the courage to stand and fight on the side of God.

 The Path I Walk 

   I walk the path that I walk trusting that it is the path that will lead me to God’s kingdom.  As some know I recently made a deeper commitment to live for our Lord and I am at peace that this is where God wants me to be.  I suppose some would call me a religious fanatic and that doesn’t trouble me at all. 

   The worldly might look at me and other serious Christians and consider that our faith makes us simpletons or stupid.  They would say we need a crutch to lean on, we can’t face the world.  If my faith is a crutch I will use it willingly to get to heaven and thank God for giving it to me.  The crutches of this world, love of self, money, drugs, sex, and worldly desires help only on the road to destruction, nothing more.

   If the happiness of this world is all there is it is a sad situation.  The peace and joys of this life are short-lived and fleeting.  I often think most people who believe they are happy are not quite certain what happiness is.  It’s not a bank account or a fine home, these things can and do disappear in an instant.  Happiness is peace of mind and the knowledge that if I lost everything I have but still have God I remain a wealthy man.

   I chose to walk the path of faith because in it I find true joy and happiness; I find a peace that tells me the world and its woes are not all there is.  This world, whether it lasts for a few more years or many more millennia will eventually cease; the world I seek is eternity.

 Beauty 

   As I go through life there is so much beauty to be seen.  The beauty of the skies, the oceans, the stars of night.  These are obvious, but there is so much to be seen that most people simply overlook.

   I have several rose bushes of varying colors in my yard.  I look at them and I wonder, why did God make roses?  What purpose do they serve?  Perhaps there are purposes for them that I don’t know about but the only purpose I see is their beauty, both visual and the wonderful scent of the blooms.

   Imagine the intricacy of a snowflake.  Billions and billions of flakes fall to earth each year but no two are exactly alike.  To what purpose?  If the only reason for snow to exist is to bring moisture to the land why do they need to be so delicate, so wonderfully intricate and beautiful?

   Since the beginning of time we have looked with amazement at the skies, the stars, the constellations and nebulae, including our own milky way.  Now, with the incredible photos coming from the Hubble telescope and the images from the various space exploration vehicles that have been launched we see even more of the magnificence of God’s creation.  And it goes on and on and on, seemingly with no end.

   Yes, I know there is ugliness in the world as well; the hatred, the bias, the abuse we sometimes heap upon each other.  The marvelous gifts God has given us are looked upon as our right rather than the magnificent blessings of a loving God and are often simply ignored.  The ugliness is there, but it can never overcome the beauty unless we allow it to do so.

   We must always look to the beauty and do our best to correct the ugliness, but most of all we must look to God with praise and thanksgiving for the many blessings He continues to bestow upon us.

 Distractions 

   “Evil is whatever distracts.” (Franz Kafka) 

   Sometimes there is wisdom from the most unexpected sources.  Although he was Jewish by birth, in his youth Kafka declared himself an atheist.  As an adult, he was a womanizer who frequented brothels most of his life.  Still, his thought about the evil of distractions is of value to the Christian life.

   I know that I am plagued by distractions in my religious life.  Whether at prayer or at Mass, random thoughts come to mind causing me to begin wandering away from thoughts of God.  In talking to friends, I find that I am not the only one who experiences these distractions while seeking God; he attacks us all at times.

   Satan becomes more aggressive as we become closer to God.  The nearer we come to our Lord, the harder he tries to disrupt that relationship in any way possible.  Evil thoughts, distractions, loss of concentration all are all part of his playbook to hamper our spiritual life.

   There seems to be no way to avoid such things.  Try as I may to focus intently on the Mass or my prayers, the spurious thoughts still come to mind.  Not only are they distracting they cause frustration because nothing I do seems to stop them.

   Since I can’t find a way to stop Satan's intrusions, I’ve sought ways to shut him out when he does intrude.  I’ve found better, though not complete, success in pushing him away rather than keeping him out.  Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, in his television show in the 50’s and 60’s often used a chalkboard to highlight his main points.  He always began by writing “JMJ”, standing for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, at the top of the board.  Using this same idea has worked for me as well.  When I feel the distractions coming I call on the names of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, demanding that Satan depart.

This method isn’t perfect and often the distractions will return, but it is the best I’ve found to fight the devil’s evil thoughts when they enter my mind.

 Send Me 

   “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?’  ‘Here I am Lord,’ I said, ‘send me!’” (Isaiah 6: 8) 

   I believe the Lord is asking the same of me that He asked of Isaiah; not only me, but all Christians.  We often think that there are no prophets left in the world and if that is true it is only because no one will answer, “Send me!”

   We are sometimes confused about what a prophet really is.  Some think they are fortune tellers or seers of some kind, but a prophet is one who speaks for the Lord, who proclaims the word of the Lord and the gospel.  The only requirement is that we answer the Lord’s call to “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16: 15).

   Each day we have the opportunity to be a prophet for the Lord.  In the way we live our life, the way we treat others, by our whole outlook on life.  When we know the peace of God it cannot be hidden, is a sign, a proof of the gospel alive in us.  It is a joy that might encourage others to seek to find that same peace, leading them to God.  As St. Francis is attributed with saying, we can "Preach the Gospel at all times, use words when necessary."

   God does not seek those who are qualified to serve, but those who are willing.  By His grace He will make them able.  When He calls answer, “Here I am Lord, send me.”

 Part Time Faith 

   It seems to me that far too many who call themselves Christians never show it except on Sunday.  They get up on Sunday morning, get dressed and go to church.  When it’s over they go home and hang up their Christianity like they would a suit.  They’ll pull it out again next Sunday, but the rest on the week belongs to them, to live as they choose.

   But Jesus wasn’t the Messiah just on Sundays; He didn’t live His live as if God was unimportant for the rest of the week.  He came to do the will of the Father, not just occasionally but every minute of every day.

   Christianity is not a Sunday thing, like football or family picnics and such.  It is a way of life that must affect every part of one’s live.  Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16: 24).  He meant that we must pick up our cross and follow every day of our life, not just on Sunday.

   Believe in God and Christianity is on the wane.  More and more people are listing “none” as their religious preference.  Perhaps one of the reasons is that they consider Christians to be hypocrites; people who live one way on Sunday and whatever way they choose every other day.  If we want to see a renewal of faith, if we want to evangelize, our Christianity must be on display every day, everywhere we go, and in everything we do.

 Practicing Virtue 

   There are seven deadly sins: pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and sloth.  There are seven spiritual virtues: humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, temperance, patience, and diligence.

   The deadly sins seem to come naturally, we see them everywhere we look in the world.  Pride, in my opinion, is the springboard for most all sin, including the deadly ones.  From our pride the others seem to easily follow.

   The virtues, on the other hand, take work.  They don’t come naturally; they have to be sought through prayer.  Without the grace of God there is little hope of become virtuous in this sinful world.  Just as I believe pride is the trigger for most of the deadly sins, I believe that humility is what encourages all the virtues.  If we practice humility, the rest will likely follow.

   But we must practice the virtues if we are to live them.  Musicians practice for hours on end to perfect their ability.  Eventually, the notes and the chords become second nature, muscle memory rather than conscious thought allow them to slide easily through the musical landscape.

   In the same way the virtues become an integral part of our being as we continue to incorporate them in our daily life.  We no longer have to struggle in our humility, we become what we have practiced.

   If we are to enter God's kingdom, we must seek to become virtuous.  We must pray for the grace of God to make us so.  But we must also practice what we wish to become.

 A Week Apart 

   “A clean heart create for me, God; renew in me a steadfast spirit.” (Psalm 51: 12) 

   Last Monday I arrived at Our Lady of Clear Creek monastery in Hulbert, Oklahoma for a week of retreat and to declare my promise as a Benedictine Oblate for the reformation of my life according to the rule of St. Benedict; to seek Christian perfection and to prefer nothing to the love of Christ.

   Upon arrival I entered into a realm very different from the world in which I live in on a daily basis.  A place where there is no television, no cell phone, no internet and no need to concern myself with the world at large.  It was a time to focus on the one thing that truly matters, the love of God and serving Him to the best of my pathetic human abilities.  A time to trust in God to lead me where He wishes me to go and know that He will give me the strength to follow where He leads.

   Now that I am back in what some call the “real world” the challenge is to continue on the path I have promised to follow amid the evils and temptations of the world in which I live.  Will I fail at times?  Of course, sinfulness is ingrained in the human person; I am weak and far from perfect.  Yet I am comforted by the fact that my efforts are directed to serving God even in my imperfections.  He knows of my weaknesses; He will forgive my failings and again renew in me a steadfast spirit.

   The spirit of the monastery will remain with me.  In times of trial and weakness it will  continue to strengthen me.  My God is a wonderful God; He loves me just as I am and helps me in my efforts to become the person He created me to be.

 Off The Grid 

   This will be my last post for a few days.  I am leaving tomorrow for a weeklong retreat at Clear Creek Benedictine Abbey in Oklahoma.  I will not be taking my computer and my phone will be turned off.  This will be a a time spent coming closer to God and seeking what He desires of me.  The world can wait. 

   God willing, my next post to this blog will most likely be Tuesday, October 18th. 

   I ask for your prayers.

 Be A Child of God 

   “You were made in the image of God.  Act accordingly!” (Matthew Kelly, “Holy Moments”) 

   The laziness of many Christians, the unwillingness of some priests to warn their flock of the price of their sins is becoming tiresome.  It’s far past time that we all began to recognize that we are the children of God, and we need to behave as children should behave, in obedience, especially to our Heavenly Father.

   The bickering about how the Church should conform to the whims and desires of society is heresy.  There is only One to whom the Church and all within should conform and that is God.  Not the politicians, not the so-called sociologists and psychologists, but God and Him alone.

   No one is entering God’s heavenly kingdom by floundering about in the sins and evil of a depraved society.  There is no president, senator, representative or governor who holds the keys to the kingdom.  We must understand that most people are concerned with their own desires and success.  Accordingly, they will tell any lie, and make any promise if it is to their advantage.

   As a child looks to their parents for direction, we need to look to God to direct our lives.  Of course parents are human and make mistakes, some that may harm their children in many ways.  God’s direction, on the other hand, is and always will be what is best for the child.  He desires only what is best for His children.

   Anyone who considers themselves Christian needs to be on guard for all those who would tell us they have a better way, a surer way to happiness.  There is only one path to happiness, there is only one better way.  Jesus told us the way and it is up to us to follow it, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14: 6)

 To Be Holy 

   “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.” (Luke 1: 35) 

   Holiness is not something I can achieve through my own efforts; it must come as a grace from God.  I can strive as best as I can, but unless I am willing to allow the Spirit to come upon me and let the power of God overshadow me I will never become holy.

   The difference between what many consider holy and what is truly holy is the denial of self, allowing God to rule in my life.  I must take to heart the words of Christ when He said, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8: 34).  That must become my guide in life, to forget the desires of this world, including my own earthly desires, and desire only the will of God.

   There is a certain trepidation in making such a commitment.  It means forgoing my will for the will of God.  It means knowing that I live in a world of sin, but I can never allow myself to be at home in that world.  I must realize the truth of the words of St. John, “And this is the verdict, that the light has come into the world, put people preferred darkness to the light, because their works were evil.” (John 3: 19).  Paraphrasing St. Therese of Lisieux, "The world is my ship, not my home."

   If I am willing, if I will trust in God, I too can be overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit and the power of God will overshadow me.  If I am willing, God will make me holy.

 The Everlasting Rock 

   “Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock.” (Isaiah 26: 4) 

   God does not change; He is today as He has always been and always will be.  We are the ones who change and many of our changes draw us away from God rather than nearer.

   If I look to society for guidance I will be led down the path of destruction.  Society cares only for self and selfish desires.  The hopes and plans of society will come to naught, a mere passing of the night.  Only the plans of God are eternal and bring the joy and happiness we all seek.

   In our lives there will be many trials.  Jesus repeatedly warned His disciples of the coming trials and tribulations they would face.  In fact, many faced not only persecution but death because of their faith.  They were strengthened by their Rock, their God, and many went willingly and even joyfully to their deaths.  Death is not the end, but the beginning of eternity.

   The difficulties we face in life are called by many names but the one I prefer is “trials”.  I find the concept of a trial, a test, as the true reason and blessing of the troubles I face in life.  It is my duty, my responsibility to pass these tests, to trust in God even when things seem to be at their worst.  He is my God, the God who loves me.  He sent His only Son that I might be saved.  He is my Rock and upon Him, His love and His mercy, I will rely.

 God’s Laws 

   “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31: 33) 

   I believe that somewhere deep inside we all know the laws of God.  He has placed them there and they will remain forever.  We can deny them, we can reject them and refuse to obey them, but the laws are there to guide us.

   I once asked a professed atheist why he didn’t live his life grasping whatever he wanted, even if he had to hurt or even kill others to get them.  He said because that would be wrong.  I then asked him how he knew what was wrong and what was right if there is no God to tell us?  He couldn’t or wouldn’t answer.

   People find it easy to say they don’t believe in God or His laws but somehow they still have a notion of good and evil.  Some will say that such knowledge is innate, something we are born with, but there is no other animal with such knowledge, only the human animal.  If it is instinctive within us, who placed it there?

   Some have perverted the concepts of good and evil beyond recognition.  Still, I think that in the depth of their soul they know right from wrong.  They might deny God and even deny having a soul, but still His laws are within them.

   In His love God has given us all we need to reach our heavenly home in His kingdom.  He will help us in times of temptation and forgive our sins when we fail to resist those temptations.  However, it is up to us to seek Him and His help.  It is up to us to recognize His laws within us.

 To Save Our Soul 

   “Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matt 10: 28) 

   Our bodies are mortal, they will inevitable wear out, die, and return to the dust from which they came.  The soul, however, is immortal and will remain throughout eternity.  Of the two our soul is by far the most important.

   Our soul is under constant attack.  Satan and his army of evil demons are sworn to do all that is possible to steal us away from God, dragging us to the depths of hell along with them for eternity.  If we try to fight that battle on our own we will inevitably lose.  We do not have the strength to resist such violent and constant attacks.

   But we don’t have to battle the evil one alone.  Satan has an army, but God’s army is far larger, far stronger, and better armed spiritually than anything the devil can muster.  That is where we must draw our strength, that is how we can protect what truly matters, our eternal soul.

   St. Paul wrote, “Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Eph 6: 10 -11).  In so doing we can thwart the plans of the evil one, protect our soul, and enter into the kingdom of God when this life is over.

 The Answer 

   “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matt 17: 20) 

   We spend a lot of time complaining about the way things are in society, in the nation, and in the Church and there is certainly no shortage of problems to complain about.  But complaints have never fixed a problem.  Action, not whining and grumbling, is needed.

   But what action can we take that will have any effect on the problems we see?  We have no real power to cause change in the world, it would take a great movement of many people to do so and that is not likely to occur.  So what can we, as individuals do?

   There is an answer and Jesus tells us that it is prayer.  But it must be prayer with the faith that our prayers will be heard and answered.  If we doubt, if we question whether God can or will do as we ask, our prayers are of little help.  We must trust that all is in His hands and that He wants what is best for us and for all His children.  If our prayers are in accord with His will and are based in an unshakable faith, they will be answered, even though it may not be at the time we desire or even in the way we think best.  Remember, He is God, we are not.

   Complaining is a trick of Satan; it causes frustration and steals the peace we are meant to have.  Moaning and groaning about the problem changes nothing, it just brings frustration and despair to our lives.  The answer lies not with us, but with God and our faithful prayers to Him. 

 A Way of Life 

   “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9: 23) 

   Christianity is a way of life, or it is nothing at all.  I must deny myself and pick up my cross and follow Him.  By following Him I mean I must submit my will to the Father’s as He did.  I must love even those who hate me as He did.  I must accept the trials, the tribulations, the crosses, of this life.

   I must strive to live less for self and more for God.  St. Paul wrote, “…it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal 2: 20 – 21).  This is what it means to be Christian, to let Christ live in me, forsaking the desires of this fallen world in which I live.

   Being a Christian also means that I must look forward with great joy and anticipation to the next life, a life of pure love unstained by the sins of this world, a life of pure joy and happiness.  St. John Henry Newman felt that a Christian should look forward to death with the joy schoolboys feel as they prepare for Christmas vacation.  Bishop Saint John Fisher, condemned to death by Henry VIII, got up on the morning of his execution, put on his best clothes and said, “This is my marriage day.”  As a Christian I must look upon death not as the end but as a beginning; the beginning of eternal life.

   My faith must permeate my entire life.  I must see this life as a voyage, not a home but a journey to my true home in God’s kingdom.  Christianity must be my way of life, encompassing all things.

 Blessed Are You 

   “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you on falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.” (Matt 5: 11 – 12) 

   These words need to be in our thoughts in today’s world.  More and more society is pushing God away and doing all in their power to remove Him from the public square.  More and more Christians are under attack both verbally and physically.  It is as if war has been declared against any who would follow our Lord.

   The apostles knew this to be true.  With the one exception of St. John, all were martyred.  Under numerous persecutions the early Christians suffered greatly.  Many were tortured and killed in the most horrific ways.  Christians have been under attack in one form or another to one degree or another since our Lord walked this earth and there is no doubt it will continue until He comes again.

   Our constitution clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (emphasis mine).  Yet our government fails to protect these rights and even subverts this amendment in actively suppressing the right to free exercise of religion.  Attacks on those who openly profess their religious objections to immorality are ignored.  Rarely, if ever, are the attackers identified, arrested or prosecuted.

   Christianity has always been looked down upon by the elites who think they know better than anyone else, including God.  The elites of society and even those in government are no different.  In these times we must remember that we are blessed when we are persecuted, and evil is wished upon us.  May we have the courage and faith of those who have come before us, perhaps hated, perhaps persecuted, but proudly proclaiming our faith.