What follows is a brief discourse. As I find my footing in my faith, again, I find these thoughts and ideas surfacing — just as they once did, many years ago — throughout the day. I take no credit for them. Should they be found to have value, may all credit and glory be given to God.
In the modern world, we have become hypocrites and blasphemers.
We claim to know the mind of God as we condemn the sins of others while we, ourselves, remain slaves to sinful passions.
We condemn the “idolatry” of Marian devotion – while we are devoted more to Mammon than to God.
We condemn the murder of children – while we participate in ravaging and destroying the planet.
We preoccupy ourselves with the faults and imperfections of others – not just to distract from, but to minimize and excuse ourselves of our own.
Faith without works is dead, but knowledge without understanding will leave us disowned.
And we justify it all with anxiety over the future – anxiety that erodes our faith, hope, and charity. Have we yet forgotten that a days troubles are enough for the day?
We cannot add one bit of righteousness to ourselves by condemning the unrighteousness of others – so why bother? To distract ourselves from humility? To gratify our hubris? To usurp God’s sovereign right to judge and condemn? Are we truly Christians, then?
Or have we become sons and daughters of Satan and his world?
Do we even realize what we are doing?
The sick and hungry suffer and we say, “we love Jesus… but we must pay ourselves first.”
And we justify it – saying, “this is how the world is, now, and we must adapt.”
But this is how the world was when Christ came in the flesh: he did not say, “adapt” – no – he said, “forsake.” Be in the world, but not of it.
To serve as one among the least is greater, to God, than to rule among the elite.
Jesus did not say it would be easy. He said the way is narrow, and few will find and enter.
Yet, he did say it is easy – if we are blessed enough, with eyes that see and ears that hear.
Let us, therefore, turn our criticism inward to perfect ourselves.
Let us, therefore, turn our exhortations outward to the uplifting of others.
And let us be found, when Christ returns, doing the will of his Father, that we may be counted as his brothers and sisters.
Many more of these will follow. I will try to be diligent and pen them as they come, and I will make my best effort to avoid overthinking them.
May the Peace of God, the Love of Christ, and the Unity of the Holy Spirit bless you. And may Blessed Mary, ever virgin, St Joseph, and the Holy Apostles, together with all the saints, angels, and archangels, pray for us.
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