He hears these words, again and again, echoed in the hearts of each soul He encounters. He asks the same question. Some questions transcend the human mind and experience. Christi will not speak and answer, He will only act. This is the only question that matters.
We are fighting a battle we can't afford to loose. Catholic families need to foster an environment that is all about continual development. Examine your level of desire to attain perfection and the means you are using to attain it. Spouses and parents must set goals, establish strategies, and provide accountability. This require constant communication, collaboration, and evaluation. Our weakness and strengths play a critical and unique role in how God is calling us to sanctity. When spouses say "I DO" they should be promising that every day, for the rest of their lives, they will slave away to build saints [...]
Christ promises the Christian will be [1] Completely Fearless, [2] Absurdly Happy, and [3] Constantly in Trouble. The exhortation which best sums this up: Be ambitious for God! This is epitomized by both John the Baptist and Our Lord. We can accomplish great things because we have the truth and the Sacred Heart. With God we have all we need. Set goals, accomplish uncommon things, grow in confidence, abhor complacency, and never let up. This is a lesson to be learned from those who never stopped fighting to overturn Roe v. Wade.
In the past liturgical year, how many sermons have we heard, and what have we actually put into practice? How do I most offend the Heart of Christ? Periodically, we have to take time to evaluate our spiritual progress. Will I actually hold myself accountable for the things which God is unceasingly asking me to stop doing?
One reason Catholic missionaries had great success is because they preached "the word of the dead man on the wood." This differs greatly from the false gospels of riches, greatness and wonders. But Catholics today are so accustomed to the easy life that we can't relate to such a God. Sacrifice is the only thing that matters for the Catholic because it is the only way for us to be made like Christ. So why do we consistently refuse it? See sacrifice not as a burden to carry, but as God's badge of honor.
Never be surprised when you fall. Be grounded in who you actually are: sinful and stumbling about. Yet you also have the capacity for greatness; so strive for it! Don't let the devil handcuff you to sin; instead, be a joyful soul when you go to confession. Have the humility to witness your great fall but know you can still reach for the stars - and see this in others. "Every man in the light of his ego is a fallen monarch."
God's relation to men mirrors the manner in which men relate to each other. A true spiritual friendship is the most intimate union among men. It begins through communication, intensifies in the giving of gifts (symbolic of who one is) and culminates in the giving of one's own self (one's will). True friends give not just what they have, but even give who they are. We see the same dynamic at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!
Catholic manhood is under attack. Modern men suffer from effeminacy of the body, mind, and will. Man is attached to pleasure and fears that which is difficult. He suffers an inability to seek the truth, preferring emotion over truth. He rationalizes and justifies everything to get what he wants. Christ's rebuke of the Apostles during the storm illustrates three points integral to a manhood: [1] Christ wanted them to face something difficult and overcome fear. [2] Christ was intentionally asleep; wanting them to wake Him. [3] Christ called the Apostles to get into the boat, to cast out into the deep. [...]
The Catholic family is in decay. Two things families are not accomplishing on a wide scale are [1] establishing a firm Catholic identity and [2] fighting against the spirit of the world. Our youth lack a clear identity. Parents, be consistent! Don't give up and allow your family to be entrenched in worldliness. The world is the enemy and is seeking to destroy the souls of your children. Be in love with your vocation - with forming saintly souls for Heaven!
