Neglect in the Spiritual Life: A Self Reflection

After I went to the gym last night I went for a short drive around Parma to do a bit of self reflection. The reason for this cruise was because before I went to the gym I fell to sin, again. Getting through my workout was very difficult due to my motivation being very low as I felt ashamed of myself. However, I powered through it and then decided to drive. During this drive I reflected about my prayer life and came to a heavy realization; I am neglectful in my spiritual life. My spiritual life, as I realized, rather finally admitted, is very shallow.

Sure, I do have some consistent piety. I commit to Eucharistic Adoration once per week on Friday from 11 to midnight, I attend Mass two to three times per week, I go to Confession about once per week. I am good at going places, but that is where my discipline ends. I am absolutely terrible at being pious at home. It is shameful that I cannot bring myself to do more than pray anything outside of a Hail Mary upon rising and putting on my Brown Scapular and a Hail Mary and St. Michael prayer before sleeping. Sure, this is a good start and I shouldn't abandon this, but what bothers me is that this small amount of piety is not building up my Armor of God.

I would say that the list of things I do is pretty good, however it is what I do during my time at one of those things on the list and how I apply it that matters. I do believe that I am good at praying for others and for big things that I don't necessarily have control over. Where my prayer life severely lacks is in praying for myself. I do not find myself praying for things that I think I have control over (i.e. finances, job, living situation). This is very neglectful in my opinion! Am I too proud to ask the Almighty for help in these matters? Is it deep rooted despair that I am ashamed as a sinner to ask God to aid me in the little things? I would say perhaps a little of both.

In today's world it seems all too easy to blame everything on society, and perhaps society shares in the blame. In our culture we are expected to mold the world to our liking. We are expected to do a lot without God. Am I caving to this thought? See? It is all to easy to convict society of wrongdoing, seeing as a lot is indeed wrong with our society. I do not think the answer is blaming society. The answer is prayer. How can expect to conquer my big obstacles without overcoming the small ones, especially when perpetuating the small ones is seen as relief from constantly attempting to overcome the big ones?! Do you see the problem? I am in a cycle of self created obstacles.

Allow me to get a little more specific. I would say that habitual sin is a big obstacle. Now image yourself focusing all your energy on overcoming habitual sin. A noble undertaking, sure. We are called to be saints after all. However, to relieve stress and relax from the constant war against habitual sin you turn to the things that keep you from what is important in the spiritual life that is prayer and fasting. For example, I'm tired from battle so instead of praying, fasting, doing spiritual reading, and tackling smaller obstacles (shallow prayer life, finances, living situation) which would be immensely beneficial, I watch YouTube for hours or browse Facebook for a large amount of time in my room. I don't like what I see society doing and so I get angry and I'm back to being stressed and tired and my spiritual fuel is at zero.

Do you see the neglect? This is why I haven't blogged in a while either. It is easier to simply share a story on Facebook and add a sentence or two of commentary and watch the comment section explode in discussion. Don't get me wrong I'm all about some quality dialogue, but what are the fruits? So I have identified a problem; self perpetuating obstacles and not properly applying my piety to my practical life. While I'm good at applying my piety to my big obstacle of habitual sin, with everything else it is as if my spiritual life and my practical life are completely separate.

What are the solutions? This is where I encourage input from you the reader and maybe a quick prayer. I think the first solution is to focus more energy on smaller projects while remaining aware of the large obstacle. It begins with prayer. Pray for the smaller things that I think I have control over. Invite God into my practical life, my everyday life. Invite the Lord to journey with me to work, to the gym, to my friends, etc. Invite God to look at my finances with me and to plan with me so that I can improve my living situation. The Lord is faithful and will remain so. It is up to me to invite him in to the everyday.

Pax,
Johannes


Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Hail Mary,
Full of grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of they womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning is now,
and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Throwback Thursday: Sermon on Mark 4:35-42

While I was a prospective Lutheran seminarian and as a Lutheran seminarian, I was given opportunities to preach at my former church. I would be lying if these moments did not have a large impact on my faith journey. In this second Throwback Thursday post, I would like to share my sermon on Mark 4:35-42. I believe the reason I recorded the rehearsal was, because the table I used last time would be used by the bell choir. My sermon outline is at the bottom.

Credo Domine

------------------------------

Sermon on Mark 4:35-41 (2 Corinthians 6:1-13)

Intro:

-        - Water is the most powerful force in nature (good and bad)

-       -  Water is also most powerful natural element spiritually (Baptism)

-       -  Water is still very significant in today’s cultures (lead into points from Mark)

Main Points from Mark:

-        - Water has significance in Hebrew culture

-        - God can control the water (Job 38:8-11)

-        - Disciples were shocked that Jesus has the power to control the water (Psalm 107:28-30)

-        - Although Jesus was with them a storm still arose

-        - Disciples approached Jesus in an unfaithful way

-        - What do we do when a storm forms in our lives?

-        - How do we approach Jesus during these storms?

-        - We must be faithful and trust in the Lord

Main Points from 2 Corinthians:

-        - Do not accept God’s grace in vain

-        - God listen’s to us at the proper time and saves us accordingly

-        - The strength of a Christian has been displayed in many ways

-        - We should open our hearts to the Good News

Amoris Laetitia: A Millennial's Take on the "Joy of Love"

Introduction

The time has finally come. Pope Francis has published his final word on the Synod on the Family. There has been a lot of confusion since this synod took place. The media has certainly not helped due to its sound bite driven analysis of events these days. The mark of Satan could certainly be discerned as Catholics battled against each other over what this synod would conclude. The media seemed to inform the masses that gay “marriage” would finally be introduced into Catholic doctrine and that divorced and remarried Catholics who did not receive a decree of annulment could receive the Eucharist.

Oh my, were people set off. In a way I am glad people were so passionate about this synod. It gives me hope that the laity still cares for the Church, as it should. People’s passions revealed where the Church has a lot of work to do in catechizing its members as well as amount of faithful Catholics that still populate the earth. My take on Amoris Laetitia will be from the viewpoint of a millennial. I will briefly comment on the condition of the family, reintroduce Catholic doctrine on marriage and divorce, present striking points made by Pope Francis, and finally discuss how they address the concerns that my fellow millennials and I have.

The Family Condition

I believe it is important to note the present condition of the family in the modern world when reading this exhortation. Pope Francis published this teaching on love in the family in a world that is facing many challenges, challenges that have had a tremendous impact on the status of the family. Pope Bl. Paul VI pointed out in his landmark encyclical Humanae Vitae that “man has made stupendous progress in the mastery and rational organization of forces of nature… to the body, to psychic life, to social life and even to the laws that regulate the transmission of life” (Humanae Vitae, 2). This mastery of nature has led the developed world to skew the natural order of the family. Ever since man’s ability to interrupt the natural order, tinkering began in short order. The family is in disarray as a result of man’s tinkering.

Man’s tinkering has also led to a disordered redefining of family. Instead of viewing family as a concrete institution put in place via the natural order, family is now seen as a fluid apparatus that is at the mercy of varying circumstances, whether biological, social, economic, or varying combinations of the three. This has produced an environment of chaos, with no definitive end in sight. It seems that every few election cycles new social norms are introduced, norms that are outside of the natural order. After the natural father-mother family unit, we have introduced the single parent family unit, to a same sex family unit, and in recent years a multi-parent family unit as societal norms. And when it comes to defining marriage itself it goes beyond even these.

The Definition of Marriage and Family

I do not believe the goals of this article necessitate a complete analysis of the book of Genesis, where the initial definition of family is introduced. I believe most Christians and non-Christians alike know of the man and woman, the Adam and Eve God created. Therefore, let us begin in the New Testament with Christ’s teaching on marriage and divorce. On marriage Jesus states in Mark, “But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother [and be joined to his wife], and the two shall become one flesh’” (Mark 10:6-8). Jesus was citing Genesis 1:27 (which continues to say in verse 28, “Be fertile and multiply”), and 2:24, thus affirming that marriage is indeed between one man and one woman.

On divorce Jesus states in Matthew, “But I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) causes her to commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery” (Matt. 5:32). The same teaching can be found in Mark 10:11-12 and Luke 16:18. Jesus is affirming the Sixth Commandment commanding the faithful not to commit adultery. Since being divorced without and annulment and remarrying is living in adultery (a mortal sin), one cannot receive communion.

Key Points of Impact in Amoris Laetitia

1. We hear an echo of the command found in the Book of Genesis

Pope Francis follows his introduction with a chapter on scriptural grounding. He titles this Chapter “In The Light of the Word”. Although I did not offer an in-depth analysis of Genesis in this article, I did impress upon its importance using Jesus’ affirmations on marriage and divorce. Pope Francis, too, places the Genesis accounts of family structure in a place of prominence (Amoris Laetitia, para. 9-13). It is important for a us to follow Christ’s example and remember the words of our Creator. This is especially important in a society that has strayed far from them.

2. The ideal of marriage… is swept aside whenever it proves inconvenient or tiresome

In paragraphs 32-49 the Holy Father addresses the reality of marriage today. He acknowledges that there is a fear of entrapment that could hinder one’s personal goals. I am glad he recognizes this. All too often when I ask my friends and peers about marriage and children (family) that they list a number of things they feel they need to achieve before even becoming engaged. I fear marriage has turned into a societal status indicator. We have equated marriage with success and perfection, a destination. And kids don’t enter the conversation until after all of this is achieved. We must reclaim the idea that marriage is a journey not a destination.

3. No union that is temporary or closed to… life can ensure the future of society

A major talking point of the media revolved around the idea that this synod would loosen doctrines on marriage to include blessing same-sex “marriages”. In paragraph 52 the Pontiff is quite clear when he says, “We need to acknowledge the great variety of family situations than can offer a certain stability, but de facto or same-sex unions, for example, may not simply be equated with marriage”. He goes on to also discuss the different legislative maneuvers different countries are making to dismantle marriage, “based almost exclusively on the autonomy of the individual will” (AL, 53). This is an accurate analysis of what is happening, especially in the developed world. We have become all about self-fulfillment.

4. One of the fundamental challenges facing families is… raising children

In this point I have highlighted we find ourselves in chapter three entitled, “Looking to Jesus: The Vocation of the Family”. Pope Francis expresses that the Synod Fathers wanted it emphasized that raising children is a fundamental challenge facing families today (AL, 84). I am glad this point was made. With the direction cultures (particularly in the West) are moving, raising children in an environment faithful the Gospel is seemingly impossible. Later in the same paragraph Pope Francis clearly states, “Schools do not replace parents, but complement them” (ibid). Looking at the state of public schools in America one can see why this fundamental challenge exists. Children are discouraged or even forbidden from expressing their faith. This leads to the introduction of evil that takes root during the adolescent years and blooms shortly thereafter leading many souls astray. I myself experienced this. Without a presence of faith, vices were permitted to grow, and once off in college as a young adult these vices seemingly became cemented in my being.

5. Love is more than a feeling

In Chapter Four The Holy Father gives an exegesis of St. Paul’s famous proclamation of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, “love is patient, love is kind…”) and uses it to explain love in marriage. What struck me here was his reiteration that “love is more than a mere feeling” (AL, 94). He states, “Rather, it should be understood along the lines of the Hebrew verb ‘to love’; it is ‘to do good’” (ibid). I think love, as service to others, needs to be an attitude that is in desperate need of being recaptured. A goal of marriage, as Pope Bl. Paul VI describes, is “helping each other to personal perfection in order to collaborate with God in the begetting and rearing of new lives” (Humanae Vitae, para. 8). This goal can only be accomplished when love blossoms from a feeling into doing good as Pope Francis points out.

6. Love forgives

From my perspective I see many relationships in trouble or ending due to a lack of forgiveness and a desire for absolute conformity to the wants of the party who is crying foul. If forgiveness is not present in a relationship, Pope Francis warns, “The just desire to see our rights respected turns into a thirst for vengeance rather than a reasoned defense of our dignity” (HV, 105). How many times do we see the passive aggressive comments from one partner toward the other on social media? How many times do we see a person get dumped for not conforming to a seemingly small requirement of the other? To foster long-lasting, strong, and resilient relationships forgiveness is a must. Pope Francis recognizes this and urges men and women to find forgiveness in imperfection.

7. God loves the joy of his children

I love this part  (AL, 147), because it sheds light on an accusation that the Church is against anything fun when it comes to love. Many times this accusation is used as a justification of sin, however sometimes it is used simply to attack the Church. Pope Francis reintroduces the teachings of Pope Benedict XVI on love as eros, eros being one of the Ancient Greek words for love meaning intimate or romantic love. Pope Benedict XVI states in his encyclical “Deus Caritas Est” (God is Love) that the Church seeks to prevent the dehumanization of eros stating, “Evidently, eros needs to be disciplined and purified if it is to provide, not just fleeting pleasure, but a certain foretaste of the pinnacle of our existence, of that beatitude for which our whole being yearns” (Deus Caritas Est, para. 4).

It is certainly evident that the world has dehumanized eros into a commodity as Pope Benedict XVI puts it (DCE, 5). Intimacy is largely a method through which we achieve sexual gratification satisfying ourselves rather than seeking to grow in union with a spouse with the openness to produce the fruit of a true eros, children. This true eros is also not far removed from agape – an unconditional love. Eros and agape in the truest sense are not opposed. Rather they are complementary. Pope Francis makes it clear when he states, “In no way, then, can we consider the erotic dimension of love simply as a permissible evil or a burden to be tolerated for the good of the family. Rather, it must be seen as [a] gift from God that enriches the relationship of the spouses” (AL, 152).

8. Love made fruitful

This is a beautiful chapter (Chapter Five “Love Made Fruitful”) that discusses the value of children. Pope Francis makes it abundantly clear that thinking “unwanted pregnancies” (my term) are mistakes is shameful (AL, 166). He beautifully proclaims that, “A child is a human being of immense worth… So it matters litte whether this new life is convenient for you, whether it has features that please you, or whether it fits into your life plans and aspirations” (AL, 170). How many times do we hear of abortions being sought simply because the pregnancy was a mistake and that it is a bad time? Or how many times do we hear of couples holding off on having children because they want to do certain things? The fruit of love in marriage is children. What greater fruit exists than the new flesh of a united flesh being brought into the world?

Other Points

Pope Francis goes on to discuss the importance of motherhood and fatherhood. He also addresses the importance of providing Seminarians access to parishes so that they may have a clearer understanding of marriage once they become a spiritual father of their parish. He cites the Synod Fathers’ emphasis of the need for quality marriage preparation. He also goes on to address divorce and remarriage citing a need for mercy and proper discernment of specific circumstances. The main vibe I get from this exhortation is one of mercy rather than condemnation, which is fitting for the Jubilee of Mercy. I appreciate him avoiding the temptation to scold the world of its wrongs regarding marriage.

Addressing Concerns

It is my belief that the points that struck me would also strike my fellow millenials. In the points that impacted me, Pope Francis discussed the fear of not achieving certain goals, homosexual unions (albeit briefly), the difficulty of raising children, the true meaning of love, the value of children, and marriage preparation. These issues are issues I come across frequently when discussing marriage with peers. These issues are certainly on their minds.

In a world of economic instability, financial insecurity, and a “you only live once” attitude, it is absolutely important for millenials to be able to accomplish certain dreams and be able to establish a stable environment for raising children in a world of economic troubles. I believe the fear mongering that we are subjected to on a daily basis contributes to the anxiety over achieving certain dreams. It is important for the Church to help millenials reclaim faith in Christ and hope for the future.

Homosexuality is an issue that certainly needs to be addressed (not obsessed over) and discussed. I mainly included Pope Francis’ comments on homosexual unions to reiterate the Church’s teaching on homosexual unions, seeing as the media greatly distorts Pope Francis’ words regarding the matter. The media is leading most of my peers astray when it comes to the Church and homosexuality.

Conclusion

Amoris Laetitia is a beautiful document that I believe will be used especially in marriage preparation. Pope Francis beautifully emphasizes the importance of faith in God when it comes to marriage. His firm conviction of mercy is woven through out this work. I believe that Pope Francis truly seeks a world renewed to the idea of mercy and trust in one’s neighbor. Trust in God and spouse is a key theme in his teaching on marriage.

The Pontiff’s points of advice are practical as he highlights specific actions a couple can take to preserve the true love of a young couple or rekindle long lost love in an older couple. He truly seeks good fruits for couples that are journeying together in faith and love of God. In doing this, he also takes care to address his teachings on love in marriage to the clergy that is responsible for preparing couples and helping couples along the way.

The Joy of Love, the title of this exhortation, is truly on display in this proclamation. As I noted earlier, this is a welcome style when it could be so easy to turn this topic into one of hardness, condemnation, and admonition. While evils around marriage certainly exist (Pope Francis acknowledges this), he seeks to highlight the beauty that does exist in marriage. Pope Francis makes it abundantly clear that the joy of love does exist and that the Church has a responsibility to convey this to the faithful in ways they can understand so that the married couples can be witnesses to this gioia di dio; the joy of God.

Throwback Thursday: Sermon on Luke 24:36-48

While I was a prospective Lutheran seminarian and as a Lutheran seminarian, I was given opportunities to preach at my former church. I would be lying if these moments did not have a large impact on my faith journey. On this Throwback Thursday I would like to share my sermon on Luke 24:36-48 during the Easter season. My sermon outline is at the bottom.


Cringe worthy correction:
Easter is 50 days not 40

Some critiques:
1. While I do like that I am scripture heavy in this sermon, I can understand if some may view this sermon as being a little too heavy, because it easy to lose focus on the central theme of this sermon; being faithful fearless witnesses.

2. Sometimes my words tended to slur together and part of that particular statement could be lost. This is common when I get excited. A fix to this would be to write out the entire sermon or at least the critical key points so that I don't blur them when I get excited about them.

3. I speak with my hands! They are everywhere.

Thank you for checking this out. I welcome constructive criticism and encourage you to let me know how I did! There is one more sermon that I recorded and will share in another Throwback Thursday post. Happy Easter and God bless you!


Credo Domine!
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Sermon Notes:

Intro

- This Gospel reading is one of faith, excitement, and challenge

- Context

- Luke 24: 13-36a

- 2 Disciples were walking to Emmaus and encounter “stranger”

- Stranger tells them of Hebrew prophecy.

- Disciples invite “stranger” into their home to eat.

- “Stranger” breaks and blesses bread and the Disciples’ eyes were opened and they realized it was Christ! He then vanished.

- Were discussing these happenings with the rest.

Explanation

- Jesus Appears

-  36b-37 (p. 92): “‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.”

- Mr. Bill bible study example; Arch Stevenson appears

- Shock, second-guessing

- Look at it from Disciples perspective

- Processing death and resurrection of Jesus

 - Jesus Asks A Question

- 38: “He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?’”

- Human perspective

- Why did they doubt?

- Because it was so incredible they could not, as humans, comprehend it?

- Was it a rhetorical question?

- Did Jesus know why they doubted? Is the asking of the question a statement of how, God is so amazing that Jesus defeated death and that is how he is appearing?

- Do we believe in God? (Meaning trust)

- Why do we doubt?

- Because we cannot grasp God’s infinite power?

- Because we are afraid of what we cannot comprehend?

- Jesus Teaches

- 44 (p. 93): Then he said to them, These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.’”

- Jesus told them this three times in Luke (9: 21-27, 43-45; 18: 31-34)

45-48: “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.’”

- We must not fear! (Referring to questions above) Easter is celebrating Christ’s resurrection

- But also celebrating God’s fulfilled promises

- Also because He set us free from death

- We are witnesses

- Colossians 3: 12, 16 (p. 215): “As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

- Let us not celebrate blindly. We are to celebrate but be wise and have the Word dwell richly within us.

Conclusion

- Let us not doubt, but when we do, ask ourselves why.

- Are we afraid? Are we scared?

- Let us not be afraid and celebrate boldly, the resurrection of Christ Jesus!

- Let us celebrate it knowing why we celebrate it

- Let us be witnesses to Christ’s resurrection!

- Let us clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit imparts the Word of Christ in us so that we can teach. Let us show our gratitude to God, this Easter, with great song and praise!

Final Greetings from 2 Corinthians 13: 11

- “Finally, brothers and sisters… Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Lent Review: Lesson Learned

Introduction
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! A blessed Easter to you! We can rejoice in the bridge to Heaven being completed in Christ's dying and rising. In this article I will address some of the lessons I learned through my personal journey through Lent. Lent is a time to journey deep within ourselves and perform a solid review of our spiritual life. It is a season to grow in closeness to our Creator or to realize that He seems distant. Either way, it is a time of self reflection and awareness, with the hope of Easter ahead.

Lessons Learned
1. Discipline
In the days leading up to Lent I usually begin to set a Lenten discipline or disciplines. Since being back in the Church and meeting with my spiritual director, I have built my Lenten exercises around the big three: prayer, fasting, and alms giving. This three basic spiritual exercises are the foundation of a fruitful Lent as I have discussed before. This year I chose to pray a daily rosary (prayer); limit my smartphone use in my room (fasting); and give a specified amount from my paycheck to the Church, visit my Grandmother's husband in the nursing home, and pray for my aunt as she battles cancer (alms giving).

These three disciplines seems simple enough. In fact, as I reflect on them I have this impression that these really weren't Lent specific disciplines. This is why I may feel like my Lent was not very fruitful, but more on this later. The justification for these disciplines is to jump start my spiritual disciplines through out the year and beyond. I used to pray the rosary daily, but since have done it once to thrice per month. I used to be in a good place in terms of reading the books on my long reading list, but have turned to my smartphone and TV when bored in my room. I used to give somewhat regularly to the Church, but it was never a very defined amount or frequency.

The season started very slowly. My adherence to my Lenten exercises was very loose. Visiting my Grandmother's husband and praying for my aunt went well. The rest, however, was not very good at all. Perhaps this was due to a lack of vision or direction as an intended result of the exercises. I will certainly be discussing this with my spiritual director in our next meeting. Putting in place a discipline without a clear purpose is going to, rightly, seem pointless and will produce bad results. The point of our Lenten discipline should be Christ; He is the focus. A good discipline will guide us toward Christ and a desire to be close to Him.

2. Christ's Passion
Most people know what Christ's Passion is (the suffering, crucifixion, and death of Christ). However, there is so much to analyze and learn from Holy Week; how Holy Week came to be, what events occurred, and what they mean for us and our relationships with our God. For Lent I chose to do some spiritual reading and picked up the second volume of the "Jesus of Nazareth" series by Pope Benedict XVI. His brilliant exegesis of Sacred Scripture and infusion of Sacred Tradition revolving around Christ's Passion was an a amazing read.

This article would be lengthy if I discussed the entirety of the book in detail, so I will focus on the part of the book with the greatest impact. The part of the book that struck me the most, was how he discussed the dating of the Institution of the Eucharist, which is traditionally celebrated on Holy Thursday. However, as Pope Benedict points out, this would mean that Christ's execution would have taken place on the feast of the Passover. John's Gospel tells us that Jesus died on the day of preparation when the lamb's were slaughtered. This was powerful to me, because Christ is the lamb being slaughtered. And with this discovery, I have a new found appreciation for the Gospel according to St. John.

I love how the book was set up to go step by step in the order of events that happened during Holy Week. For someone that needs time to digest the theological density of Pope Benedict XVI, it was quite easy to follow. My edition came with a glossary as well, so any terms or ideas that I found foreign were made understandable with the help of the glossary. This book may not be for new comers to theological thought, but certainly should be on everyone's reading list.

3. Prayer and Self Reflection
While my discipline during Lent was weak, my prayer and self reflection was very strong. While I reflected on small everyday actions most days, I didn't do my deepest self examination unless I was before the Blessed Sacrament at my parish's Adoration Chapel. The logic behind this was simple. When journeying deep into your soul, depending on your life experiences, it can become very dark. When someone is in the midst of darkness, one is very vulnerable to confusion and attacks from evil sources.

While journeying "into the darkness" as I called it in my spiritual journal, I would reflect on where I was spiritually. I wanted to examine where my sins took me, what my relationship with the Lord was during the dark times. My examinations also allowed me to be at peace with what resulted from past sins. Ultimately my journey took me to a place of hope and thanksgiving. Knowing how dark things were in the past let me appreciate how bright things are now. I became truly grateful for how God has never abandoned me even when I deserved abandonment. God remained faithful! God did not stop seeking me out!

When I came to this conclusion during my last session of reflection, tears began streaming down my face. I was entering Holy Week with an renewed appreciation for what God has done. Jesus, knowing the fault of Man, marched to the Cross. He bore my sins (and yours) and was slaughtered like the lambs during the day of preparation. The bridge to Paradise was built, and we now have an ability to cross this bridge back to our Creator!

Conclusion 
After thinking that this year's Lent was a let down I have concluded that, even though it did not go according to plan, God still showed part of Himself. The journey into the darkness of the past brought me into the light of hope. This hope was celebrated during the Easter Vigil, when we go from darkness into light. I pray that you also were able to learn something about yourself and our awesome God during Lent. I pray that we will journey onward with the victory we share in Christ.

Credo Domine!

Fighting Mediocrity: Keeping the Soul Awake

In my personal reflections you may begin to piece together a theme. I will go ahead and reveal the theme; anxiety. I leave it up to you to confirm this theme. I am anxious to enter seminary and begin formation. I am anxious to go out into the diocese and shepherd souls (under the diocese's Shepherd the Bishop of course). I am anxious to get my life moving, yet I find myself stuck in this waiting period.

You may have read the introductory paragraph and thought, "He is quite awake." And if you have interacted with me in person, you may have thought, "He is filled with energy." Those two observances are correct; I am very energetic and excitable. However, I am talking about what is deep within every person; the soul. How we are in front of others may be completely different than what our soul is actually feeling. 2015 turned out to be very difficult for me after the Bishop said I am to wait until my military obligation is complete. Initially I said I was at peace with it, but this peace was manufactured by me so it wouldn't last long. It didn't. I entered a place close to depression. I simply sulked spiritually and my soul almost fell asleep.

As I was reading "Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week" by Pope Benedict XVI, I came across a condition of the soul that absolutely struck me. He discusses how the drowsiness of the disciples opens up possibilities for Satan (p. 153). What he says next is, what I believe to be, a nice affirmation of what I believe to be true about sin and righteousness. Of course Pope Benedict articulates it much more beautifully than I, "Such drowsiness deadens the soul, so that it remains undisturbed by the power of the Evil One at work in the world and by all the injustices and suffering ravaging the earth." (ibid). Sin and righteousness are opposing forces, always. The Church has discussed this in a more detailed format using vices and virtues, which are essentially a break down of the battle between the two.

Pope Benedict goes on to say, "In its state of numbness [when sin is beating righteousness], the soul prefers not to see all this [truly see evil for what it is]; it is easily persuaded that things cannot be so bad, so as to continue in the self-satisfaction of its own comfortable existence." (ibid, injects added). This is a profound reflection on the state of a drowsy soul! When we are spiritually tired, we become complacent. We turn inward and then seek to satisfy what we believe we need, which at this point is disordered (disordered, because God calls us to turn outward toward creation). When we turn inward, we go down a very slippery slope. It is as if we walk on ice. We have control at first, but we can begin to become too comfortable with our ability to walk on ice that we eventually slip and fall. Down we go!

I think it can be said of the rise of the secular society that it has slipped and is now sliding down the slope. At first society wrestled with the New Age thoughts and ideas, but it eventually became tired of seeing the evil in the world, and began turning inward. When turning inward, it embraced self satisfaction at all costs. We can now look at society and firmly say its motto is "It's all about me". We see this in business, marriage, relationships with peers, education, politics, etc. What is ironic is that society tells itself that all of this is for the greater good of society. I think we need not continue discussing the state of society in this article, but I do believe it is good to note when performing a self reflection of our soul.

After almost a year of struggle, I find myself beginning to accept where God wants me. God's peace is beginning to fill me versus me attempting to build peace. He has filled my life with people seeking closeness with the Lord. One of my faithful Catholic friends has challenged me to make 2016 not a year of mediocrity. So far 2016 has been an amazing year and I look forward to making the rest of it. The high point of the year will certainly be my trip to Europe where I will visit family in Nuremberg, Germany, go on a short pilgrimage to Rome, and see a friend in London. I am considering adding a trip to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp to get face to face with the evil that plagues the world. I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to make this journey.

Do not let mediocrity grip your soul! You risk putting your soul to sleep. As Pope Benedict showed us, a drowsy soul is one that permits evil to take hold more and more. I believe the first step in fighting mediocrity sounds overly simple, but it is effective; prayer. Prayer is the foundation of a healthy spiritual life. I will discuss the beauty of prayer and my struggles to build a solid foundation of prayer in a future article. Pax.

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Sources:
1. Pope Benedict XVI Jesus of Nazareth: Part Two: Holy Week From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection. San Fransisco: Ignatius Press, 2011.

Morality In the Workplace And In The World

In today's secular society Catholic morality and modern societies are coming coming into conflict more and more. This increasing conflict has moved into the workplace of many people across America and in the world. In this article I will provide some catechetical back ground on our duties as citizens and followers of Christ, as well as tips to live life at work in accord with Church teaching. I pray that you'll be able to use this article to help you at work and in the world.


So, what does the catechism say? 
1900: in the CCC: "The duty of obedience requires all to give due honor to authority and to treat those who are charged to exercise it with respect, and, insofar as it is deserved, with gratitude and good-will."

1903: "Authority is exercised legitimately only when it seeks the common good of the group concerned and if it employs morally licit means to attain it. If rulers were to enact unjust laws or take measures contrary to the moral order, such arrangements would not be binding in conscience."

2242: "The citizen is obliged in conscience not to follow the directives of civil authorities when they are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or the teachings of the Gospel. Refusing obedience to civil authorities, when their demands are contrary to those of an upright conscience, finds its justification in the distinction between serving God and serving the political community. "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." 'We must obey God rather than men'"

This applies to the workplace as well. God comes first. Morality belongs to God, and therefore when an earthly institution acts counter to morality we are no longer obliged to follow the earthly institution's directive.


What to do at work
I work in retail, which is challenging enough as it is, when sales are a priority over the employees (that's another article). On top of that working at a place where Church teaching is often confronted can have its challenges. To give you an idea of what I am trying to convey I will be using my place of employment as an example, while not disclosing which company I work for. I work at a modern day drug store that is a part of a national chain of drug stores. At this drug store I find myself entering into moral conflict quite often. Conflicts include theft, extreme couponing,  contraceptives, etc. When I first started working for this company I looked into its policies. What are its coupon policies, Plan B policy, theft policies, etc. I was pleased to learn that the company decided to protect my religious freedoms. 

Tip #1: Look at the policies. Every company has a number of work policies that govern it like our government has laws that govern the nation. Getting to know the policies is the best way to prepare for moral decision making. For example, my company allows me to not sell Plan B or other contraceptives due to my firmly held religious beliefs. According to the policy, I am to walk the customer to someone who will sell it.

Tip #2: Discuss policies with your colleagues. The best way to avoid awkward situations and customer frustrations is to know who specific policies also apply to. For example, I have shared the Plan B policy with my coworkers and know who also objects to its sale. This allows me and my colleagues to quickly and easily avoid confrontation when someone wishes to purchase Plan B.

Tip #3: Present any points of confusion to a spiritual director or a priest. Sometimes there are instances when our participation is not necessarily sinful. There are certain contraceptive medications that are prescribed for medical reasons. It is certainly not my job to identify the specific reason someone is taking a certain contraceptive medication that has other medicinal purposes. So, when I am helping in the pharmacy I needn't concern myself with that a person is using a certain pill for and can in good conscience fill their medication. One should use common sense to figure out which contraceptive medications or devices have the singular purpose of being a contraceptive (condoms were created to be used as a contraceptive so I do not sell them). Spiritual direction and confession have helped come to this conclusion.

What to do as a citizen
Tip #1: Look at the laws. Get to know laws that have a negative impact on living as a Catholic, such as the HHS mandate. Many Church organizations have not complied with this mandate due to its violation of God's Law.

Tip #2: Discuss the laws with others. Fellowship is huge in Christian living. Discusses certain laws with good Catholic friends can bring you to a greater understanding of the laws and of Church teaching.

Tip #3: Vote. Involvement in society is certainly good. If we want a society that is in line with Church teaching, then we should work to put in place a government that will work toward this. Knowing where candidates stand on important issues (life, marriage, religious freedom, social justice, etc.) is very important. We should enter the voting both after having done some research.


While the world and the Church are growing farther apart (it shouldn't be a huge shock), we can still be assured of God's superiority over what is happening today. We can remain confident that we can still live Catholic lives even if it is painful at times. At this time I feel that it is good to remind myself and the reader that we should pray for the persecuted in other parts of the world that can live a Catholic life, but at the cost of their livelihoods or even their lives all together. Credo Domine. 



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Pope Benedict XVI on emergency contraception