I pray you are affected by this as much as I have been. Please visit their site and read about this amazing work they are doing.

And, maybe it is time we all stood at the wall more for others.

God bless…

I was blown away yesterday by something I heard that made me instantly cry. Cry for joy, cry for how unbelievable it was, and cry over my own convictions. Many of you know that Habitat for Hope maintains 2 apartments in downtown Memphis, TN. These apartments are given free of charge to families of children receiving medical treatment in Memphis.

One of our families was moving out this past week and I went down to say goodbye, pray with them and help send them on their way. The dad asked me if I had met the neighbors before. I had seen them, waved, but have never met them. The dad told me that a mother and daughter that lived in the apartment next door. The mom is 94 and the daughter is 72. The dad said that one day he was locked out of his apartment (the doors automatically lock) and he went over to ask to use their phone. As they started talking the daughter mentioned how her mother will go over the wall between the two apartments, put her hand on the wall, and pray for the for the family and sick child next door. And pray for over an hour every night.

We have had these apartments for 5 years and she has done this faithfully every day for years! Picture in your mind…a frail elderly lady taking the time every night to pray for your sick child and family…without you ever event knowing about it.

James 5:15 15 “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up.”

What is Cafeteria Catholicism? Amazingly there is even a Wiki page dedicated to this topic! It says: “The term “cafeteria Catholicism” is a pejorative term applied to Catholics who dissent from Roman Catholic doctrinal or moral teaching.” That’s a pretty descriptive definition. In simple terms it means one picks and chooses which teachings they want to adhere to and which they do not. Most often this can be seen in relation to the Church’s teaching on birth control.

Soon to be ‘Blessed’ Pope John Paul II had this to say about this issue in 1987 to the Bishops while visiting the US:

“It is sometimes reported that a large number of Catholics today do not adhere to the teaching of the Catholic Church on a number of questions, notably sexual and conjugal morality, divorce and remarriage. Some are reported as not accepting the clear position on abortion. It has to be noted that there is a tendency on the part of some Catholics to be selective in their adherence to the Church’s moral teaching. It is sometimes claimed that dissent from the Magisterium is totally compatible with being a “good Catholic,” and poses no obstacle to the reception of the Sacraments. This is a grave error that challenges the teaching of the Bishops in the United States and elsewhere.”

There is also example of someone in the bible who chose not to accept everything Jesus offered.

Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, ” ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to (the) poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. – MT 19:16-22

The man in this story does many good things. Jesus tells him he lacks in only one thing. Yet this man could not (at this time) conform to Jesus teaching. He chose not to sell his possessions. He “went away sad”.

In today’s world, unfortunately, many Cafeteria Catholics do not go away sad. Rather the choice is to, through pride, state “I know better than the Church”. Really that is the message we send when we choose not to accept Her teachings. As stated previously much of this problem relates to teachings such as birth control.

I once met a man who told me he agreed with Humane Vitae right up to the end, but didn’t agree with the conclusion. Huh? How can you do that? Or rather, under whose authority? Jesus entrusted the teaching of His Church (faithful) to the Apostles and throughout the ages they have defended the faith and beautifully (well not so beautifully at times) instructed the hearts of Men. Through the Holy Spirit the Church is guided to Truth….. And you don’t agree with the conclusion? I simply don’t get it. Actually, I think he was the one who didn’t get it. ?

Cafeteria Catholics can be likened to church hoppers in the non-Catholic Christian arena. Those in this category attend church somewhere they are comfortable until the Pastor says something they don’t like or are challenged by and then in order to avoid the challenge, they hop to another church where the message is less challenging. So, we now have a phenomenon of watered-down-Gospel churches who teach a mere acceptance version of the Gospel. Don’t get me wrong, we in the Catholic Church have a lot to learn with regard to welcoming people, however watering down the Gospel isn’t the answer either.

In the end Cafeteria Catholicism is a consequence of the sin of pride. If we find ourselves challenged by a moral teaching of the Church, I hope and pray we have the courage to discern why we cannot accept it rather than to dismiss it as being wrong. The Holy Spirit will not allow the Church to fail; the Victory is already won in Heaven by Christ!

If you are reading this and think I’m wrong, that you do have the right to dismiss a teaching if it doesn’t suit you…well…let me ask you this: Why are you a Roman Catholic? (or whatever Church you belong to)

It’s like this. If you want to be a runner and call yourself a runner, then you have to run right? You have to train and become a runner. If you call yourself a runner and are actually a lazy-couch ridden-tv addict…then you aren’t a runner. The same is true here. If you call yourself a Roman Catholic then you HAVE to believe in certain things…because if you don’t then by extension you are not a Roman Catholic. Here is a simple, incomplete, and short list of some key beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church:

- The Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. We receive Him in Mass.
- One must attend Mass weekly
- Sex is reserved for the marital relationship only.
- Birth control restricts the marital act and is not in keeping with God’s law (moral)
- All life is created by God and therefore has dignity
- Abortion is illicit under any circumstance. Even one which affects the life/death of the pregnant mother.
- Mary is the Mother of God and was without sin (Immaculate)

These are few of the Truth’s taught by the Roman Catholic Church.

We should be asking ourselves often: Am I in Communion with the Church? This does not only relate to sin, but to our beliefs. If we find that believing in a teaching is hard, then we have an obligation to learn more about it and conform our hearts.

“Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum. Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” – John 6:53-60

This saying is hard. Isn’t that the truth? For centuries we have been attacked for this belief and for centuries it has been hard to believe it. Yet we are called to believe and to accept Jesus in the Eucharist. Many have left the Church because they could not, rather would not, accept this teaching. Or the teaching on birth control, or the teaching on Abortion, or marriage, or homosexuality, or this or that. These are not arbitrary thoughts in the minds of some old guy in Rome. These are part of the beauty of the Catholic Church’s teachings. These are part of the beauty of revelation. These are the beauty of Creation.

My prayer is that we can continue to conform ourselves to the whole Gospel…not just the easy parts. I pray we accept the Resurrection AND the Cross.

Reading her life has been an unbelievable experience. Her life has been almost painful for me to read because she displays constantly two traits of which I struggle. Humility and obedience. In her life she sought to be cast out from society, undesired, and forgotten. She also sought for complete submission to Jesus Christ and to her superiors.

One small example: She was completing a penance, some sort of prayers, and she was liking the prayers. She thought perhaps she might continue the practice. As she ponders this Jesus says to her, “What you have just done was for me, what you are about to do is for the Devil.”

Are you kidding me!!!!

Jesus tells her that he desires 1 act of obedience more than anything chosen of her own desires.

I think it bears repeating… Are you kidding me!!!!

She died in 1690, and when the opened her tomb two miracle healings occurred immediately. They also discovered she was incorruptible. Her body is on display in the church where the apparitions of Jesus revealing His Sacred Heart to her took place.

After reading her life I have come to a conclusion.

I suck at obedience. I’m the last to obey. This has been an asset in times of trouble when some not so great friends have attempted to direct me to things that would prove disastrous. However, this has caused me great troubles in spirituality at times. Particularly in relationship with Our Lady. The more I submit to Christ, the more I understand and desire a relationship with Mary; since she has one desire only, that of leading me to her Son, how can we resist her guidance?

The truth is that in order to be fully in communion with Our Lord we must be obedient to a few things. I need to point out that these are purely my opine and not some Church teaching I found.

First we need to be obedient to the Will of God for our lives. This is our Vocation, what we were created to become. It is the Macro experience of God in our lives. Only in honoring this reality of our created identity will we fully know the joy we have in Christ. If we are living a lie then there can be no Truth.

Second, we need to be obedient to the Spirit daily. This is the micro experience of God in our lives. Everyday we are presented with opportunities for Grace. We must respond to these opportunities and soak up His Grace as much as possible. The more we respond, the more we can receive, the more like Him we become.

Third, we need to be obedient to those Christ puts in our path to form us. We are the Church. We are His people. He works through and in us. If we believe that we are called to do God’s work and form others, then we must also accept that others are called to the same in forming us. I have, I think, failed to capitalize on this like I should. Often I am looking for opportunities to share faith and to form others. Have I missed opportunities where I should have been listening more than talking? Have I written someone else off, when I should have heeded their message for profit in the Spirit?

Funny how I have noticed this deficiency in others at times, and pointed it out occasionally; yet it took reading about a saint in the late 1600’s for me to get it about myself.

I have committed to being more obedient to the three items listed above, with particular attention to my greatest fault… listening to others sent by God to form me. This is, and can be, my wife, my children, spiritual director, close friends, others in leadership, etc.

I made this commitment in my professional life about 4 years ago and it has transformed my career from questionable to exciting and fulfilling. I can only imagine if the change to such a mortal element was this drastic, what is in store for me with the supernatural element?

If you too struggle with submitting yourself to the spiritual authority of those around you, as they are sent by God to guide you, I suggest you pray the Rosary. Particularly the Sorrowful Mysteries… The Visitation and the Presentation have been key in helping me discover what God is teaching me through this Saint.

That’s it, not big close on this post. No big message; just a simple encouragement to listen to others more. The Body of Christ is alive in His Spirit and we are all a part.

As it says in Is 5:20-21

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness;
Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes
And clever in their own sight!

At work I joke of having a list of ‘unapproved public discussion topics’ as in the past I have not considered the cultural affects of a politically correct society and have spoken out of desire to share what I knew, rather than out of love for another.  As I have personally matured in faith and in life I have come to understand that while I cannot keep quiet while others make false statements, incite false perception, or simply speak from ignorance…there is a time and a place for such discussion.  But that discussion Must happen.

How can we sit back and allow ourselves to be convinced by the world that Truth is relative.  Truth is constant.  There is but one.  Some, actually, many would compromise Truth to fit in, to be accepted, to not make waves.  I have trouble doing that…my conscience doesn’t allow it.  As I have learned however, these conscientious moments must derive from the common pursuit of Love, not justice.

You see, often in my past I objected or spoke out on the basis of seeking justice.  Justice relates in definition to the “principle of moral rightness”.  It cannot be the end, nor the means.  Justice is something to be left to God.  Proverbs 16:11 states:

A just balance and scales belong to the LORD;
All the weights of the bag are His concern.

We need to speak out against injustice, but not for justice sake.  Our motivation is greater.  Our goal carries more weight than human justice.  Just as the Apostles spoke the Truth and were persecuted, so will those who speak Truth today.  We read in Acts 5:17-21 (emphasis added)

But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy.  They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail.  But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, “Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought.

The angel of the Lord told the Apostles to continue speaking despite their persecution.  These men preached the Truth and were killed and/or abandoned by society for it.  Yet they still spoke of Jesus Christ to all they met.  That is faith.  That is a faith I wish I had.

I know that when I have the courage to speak the Truth it comes easily and God carries the load.

For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. – MT 10:20

If we just have faith, and say “yes” as Mary did, trusting that God will carry the weight then we can change the world.  Truth can be known by all and Christ can be advanced in the hearts of men.

Back to the issue however…we must do so out of love.

I get a lot of static from friends and family over my political and societal views.  I am not a member of any political parties because I see them all as evil.  I do not think it is okay to call ‘President” Obama, “Mr.” Obama no matter how much I disagree with him.  I’m not a fan of war, government healthcare, and many other things.  I do not subscribe to shock journalism and dislike Rush as much as Stern.  I love all men and would never desire to hurt anyone ‘and’ I do own guns for sport and defense if needed.  I believe strongly that our society is hampered by the lack of human elements.

Man cannot hunt, gather, and provide as we once did.  Women cannot nurture, teach, and care as they once did.

Rather we are stuck in a hypocritical society that fears rejection.  I can’t state my religious or political beliefs freely because what if someone is offended?  Oh my gosh!  How could we let that happen!  This is problematic.

Answer me this….Whom is more harmed, the one who hears someone else’s viewpoint, or the one restricted from sharing it.  One is protected in the Bill of Rights, the other is not.  Yet we constantly fight to keep our freedom against those who would take it.

—now Bob, you are mixing politics and religion and that is not good.

Wrong again in my opine.  Modern politics are simply copies of previous political structures which included the religious leaders within their structure such as the Jewish people, Egyptian society, Medieval European culture, and others.

The “inalienable” rights we find so valuable in our constitution were not created or dreamed up by the architects of our country.  They were God given freedoms desired by those who founded our country…so they built them into the structure.  There are TRUTHS found in the Bible.

And yes, while those who founded our country had their faults just as we all do…the Truths they laid out have not changed.  They are still God given freedoms to all who roam this land.

So…where do we go?  How do we handle this quandary?  Can I be a political activist, and a Christian?  Sure, why not!  Jesus was!

I look at it like this.  We cannot afford to not talk about the important issues.

About ten years ago a friend of mine from school committed suicide.  He was a good guy, someone who deserved more in life.  I was not a good person during the time we knew each other.  After going to college and some time later becoming a Christian, I thought multiple times about contacting him and sharing the Good News that I had come to know.  A few months later a friend told me he committed suicide.  No one could find me to tell me and so I also missed the funeral.  This story isn’t really about me, I still pray for my friend and ask God to receive him home…  But there is always in the back of ones mind…”what if”.

I will do everything I can to not have “what ifs” in my life.  Whether it is an issue of getting into heaven, being a good husband, parenting, life issues, health, or how we treat others…I will have dialog with friends on these topics.  I will point out areas where I think someone might be in danger.  And I pray my friends have the courage to do the same for me.

Truth does not change.  We will be persecuted when we speak it.  We will be attacked by the devil, who is as real as you and I.  As Jesus Christ tells us through John

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. – John 10:10

I pray that we all seek to have life abundantly by destroying political correctness and fear.  Tear down the walls that prevent us from loving one another as Christ calls us to.  Yes, I’m a sinner and I need the help of the Christian community to grow in holiness and the likeness of God…and so do you.  Receive the words of a friend with care, and offer them with even greater care.  In doing so God will use you to show His love and His justice will be done.

God bless.

We live today in a world of comfort.  You may disagree…perhaps you will tell me of the number of people suffering from hunger, poverty, and the like.  And you are correct, a portion of the world suffers, but overall we are an ungrateful glutton bunch.  Look around, note the number of things people own…the amount of wasted food at any restaurant or house…the amount of apathy among men. 

Last night while in Adoration I read this:

And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job, and that there is no one on earth like him, blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?” But Satan answered the LORD and said, “Is it for nothing that Job is God-fearing? Have you not surrounded him and his family and all that he has with your protection? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock are spread over the land. But now put forth your hand and touch anything that he has, and surely he will blaspheme you to your face.”  - Job 1:8-11

While Job had everything he praised the Lord who is worthy to be praised.  Satan argued that Job is of course an upright servant of the Lord, for God has allowed him to have many possessions and a wonderful family.  The Lord hath looked with favor on Job.

So the Lord, knowing the strength of Job’s faith allowed Satan to test him.  In the first trial all of Job’s livestock is stolen and all of his seven children are killed on the same day at the same time.  Job, being the upright and fitting servant of the Lord responds by saying this…

Then Job began to tear his cloak and cut off his hair. He cast himself prostrate upon the ground, and said, “Naked I came forth from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I go back again. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD!” In all this Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God. – Job 1:20-22

BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!  Are you kidding me!  Job praises God on the very day when his livelihood is taken from him!  And on the same day in which his children are killed!  Are you kidding me!!

See if you can follow me on this.  The U.S. is the richest country in the history of the world, we all have houses, cars, refrigerators, stoves, microwaves, Costco, Wal-Mart, Target, Guitar Center, Lehboner Children’s Hospital, St. Jude, and on and on and on.  People born in the U.S. are the luckiest people on the planet because no matter your race, in the U.S. you have more opportunity to survive then anywhere else. 

We have all of this, and yet we are not upright and worthy servants of the Lord.  You tell me how many people here truly, honestly, when attacked by Satin say, “Blessed be the name of the Lord!”  Rather people respond “God why have you forsaken me!” 

America…you are weak.  We call ourselves a Christian nation and then we live and act like pagans. 

Christ tells us in the Gospel of Matthew (7:21) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”

I wish to be like Job.  I wish to honor the Lord with all of my being every day, despite the weather, or my house, my car, my groceries, my friends, my family.  I wish to be like Job more today than ever before in my life.  Bring it on Satan…you haven’t met a man more focused on Praising the Lord.  I will not be stopped because I do not walk under my own power but only by the Grace of God go I. 

Please don’t mistake this as a woe to us post.  I am writing this more as a join me, let’s change the world, let’s make Christians Christian again.  We know that Christ has the victory!  This time will pass and He shall reign again in the hearts of all men.  Let us answer God’s call to carry our crosses, not count the cost of our labor, accept a fair daily wage, and Love unceasingly.  That maybe we could answer the Lord as Job does…

Then Job answered the LORD and said: I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be hindered. I have dealt with great things that I do not understand; things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know. I had heard of you by word of mouth, but now my eye has seen you. Therefore I disown what I have said, and repent in dust and ashes. – Job 42:1-6

 I wish not to understand what God calls me to, but to have the Grace to say Yes and do it.  I pray that we all have this Grace and that, like Mary, we respond “Let it be done to me according to THY word.”

God bless you today and deliver you from all evil…because Satan isn’t done working, so neither should we be.