Heaven is NOT Automatic
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We have become soft.
I've been reading a lot about the saints lately. The difference between most of us and these holy ones is quite a lot, because they possessed much more Grace, which brought them courage and faithfulness in dark and challenging times.
The saints rose up during pandemics and persecution. They stood in the light and received God's Graces to be his light to all. Few of us in these times are willing to do that. That same Grace they possessed is available to all of us, if we are willing to receive it and use it.
During these times, martyrs risked deaths by torture and brutality to attend Mass and proclaim Christ, never wavering in their devotion to him. We, on the other hand, complain and stay away from Mass simply because we are required to wear a mask, or because someone else will not. We have demented and distorted what it means to be Christian and Catholic to such an extreme that we deny ourselves the very presence of the living God because we are afraid of things that might not even happen.
Don't get me wrong, I work in long term care and understand the dangers and ramifications of this virus we are facing. Certain groups of people and individuals should definitely protect themselves and others by staying home and by finding alternative ways to receive the sacraments and be involved with the Liturgy. Thankfully, there are more ways to do that right now than at any other time in history.
But then there are those among us who are using this time of unrest and unknown as an excuse to become lazy and despondent, and in so doing are becoming destitute.
Christ tells us to Fear the one who can kill the soul, not only the one that can kill the body. We are falling into the trap of letting our souls die a little each day by allowing ourselves to be engulfed in the hate, fear and propaganda. Every moment we breathe, we are at risk of sudden or subtle attacks on our health, from hate and crime, but most of all from heresy and apostasy.
When we become more concerned about who is wearing a mask than about truth, solid Catholic teaching and preaching in our parish, we should strive to recognize the disconnect and adjust. When we let anger cloud our judgement of Christ and His Truth, we are treading into more dangerous waters than the physical effects of a pandemic could ever unleash on our souls.
Beware the lies, the misconceptions, the fear mongering. There is a reason that Scripture tells us to "Be Not Afraid” - not because there isn't plenty to be afraid of, but because there is, and that fear is Satan's weapon against Christ and His Church. The evil one and his minions work every day to keep us away from the highest form of Worship – Mass. Prayer and fasting are the only ways to fight against some demons. Prayer and fasting will expel the darkness, not only of this virus but of the other evils stemming from it.
Peace and prayers are hopefully the gifts we can all receive and bestow at this time. Stay safe, and blessings from our Lord Jesus Christ to you all.
I am a wife and mother of two grown sons. Although I am Cradle Catholic, I experienced a profound reversion to the True faith several years ago that motivated and inspired me to dive more deeply into an understanding of the Church and Her teachings, and why She has these teachings and where they come from. Surprisingly, for me, the more I read and discovered, the deeper my love of the Catholic Church and her teachings became. This certainly is a journey that doesn't end, and so as I uncover more amazing facts about our Faith and Church, I just can't help but want to share what I'm learning. So, I began writing for Catholic 365.
I have recently served for a year and a half as the Executive Director of a very active and busy Crisis Pregnancy Center on the West side of Cincinnati. God is so good and does answers prayers, even though He knows at times, we have no idea what we are asking for. The pro life cause is paramount to our times, I am so honored and humbled to have had the experience and opportunity to serve women and the unborn in this capacity! I am also very grateful to God, for allowing me to see for myself, that perhaps such a calling was not His long term plan for me. We go where God seeminly calls us, and for me, that was a return to corporate America. I currently work as a recruiter and sales onboarding specialist where I am helping a Franchising company open and support small businesses that serve seniors and the elderly, giving them opportunities to age in place and live thier final chapters with dignity. It is the other end of the pro life spectrum and such an amazing endeavor!
I love being able to share this great faith of ours and use this platform as a way to express my deep love and devotion to our Lord. We need each other, and this effort has truly become a wonderful way to connect with all of you- my brothers and sisters in Christ!
