Today, something is lost.  Something is not right- can you feel it?  Are you feeling uneasy, unsatisfied or just plain lost?  Do not feel bad.  This has become the new normal in these uncertain times, not knowing why we are here or where we are going.  

This was not always the case.  For those of us who remember or grew up using the Baltimore Catechism In response, with the help of grace, we are to know, love and serve God.  As any small child who first learned his or her faith from the Baltimore Catechism knows, this response, together with faith, hope and the love of God, is our means of salvation. This is how we get aboard and stay upon the rescue ship that is the Church! 

Know, love and serve God- that is simple enough and universal.  It would be the same at the time of Christ, the Middle Ages, or even today.  In fact if we look through the Old Testament- we see what happened when people failed to heed the word of God.  

Nowhere is this more clear than in the Book of Maccabees.  This book clearly explained what happened when people tried to force people from worshiping as they were supposed to worship.  Clearly it is a reminder of who is in charge and what our responsibilities are here.  In troubled times turn to your Bible and open up 1st Maccabees.  Unlike Martin Luther, who failed to recognize the importance of this fact, I would like to explain that we are currently facing some of the same problems as were addressed in the Book of the Bible.

1 Maccabees - Chapter 1

42 All the gentiles conformed to the king's decree,

43 and many Israelites  chose to accept his religion, sacrificing to idols and profaning the Sabbath.

44 The king also sent edicts by messenger to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, directing them to adopt customs foreign to the country,

45 banning burnt offerings, sacrifices and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and feasts,

46 defiling the sanctuary  and everything holy,

47 building altars, shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,

48 leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to all kinds of impurity and abomination

In 1947, Bishop Fulton Sheen reflected on this situation this way, “Mediocrity and compromise characterize the lives of many Christians.  Many read the same novels as modern pagans, educate their children in the same godless way, listen to the same commentators who have no other standard than judging today by yesterday, and tomorrow by today, allow pagan practices such as divorce and remarriage to creep into the family; there are not wanting, so-called Catholic labor leaders recommending Communists for Congress, or Catholic writers who accept presidencies in Communist front organizations to instill totalitarian ideas in movies. There is no longer the conflict and opposition which is supposed to characterize us.  We are influencing the world less than the world influences us.  There is no apartness.”

G.K Chesterton said, “ “Progress should mean that we are always changing the world to fit the vision, instead we are always changing the vision.” 

This is the exact problem- we know what to do and we choose not to do it.  It may be because we tried and it was hard or it may be because we never tried.  In the end it does not make much difference for the reason why because the results end up the same- we are not doing what we are supposed to do here and now and we are losing sight on the hereafter as well.  

To live the worthy life, Brothers and Sisters, we must and we shall love, serve, and obey God in all things here so we can join him in the hereafter.  Let us never lose sight on why we are here on earth.