St. Paul Calls Out to Us from Across the Ages

The second reading at Sunday’s Mass (the 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time: 8/31/2104) was from St. Paul to the Romans: 12:1-2. The words reverberated in my head, and I think it was not only because of their simplicity and timeliness but primarily because of the message.

“I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not CONFORM yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the WILL of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice does not mean jumping into an open volcano. It does not mean that we are supposed to self-flagellate or harm ourselves in any physical way. I think it simply means that we must do our best to follow God as He would have us follow Him, and not to conform to the secular, morally bankrupt world we live in. The thing of it is, the secular world has encapsulated its meistic philosophy into a false narrative of “pretend virtue” suggesting that self-gratification (no matter what that might be) is perfectly permissible. Some of the cliches which precede anything self-gratifying are, “You don’t have to do it” or “I’m not bothering you” and “Mind your own business”. In the world of Meism (my word) the other person NEVER comes first.

Our Judeo/Catholic/Christian beliefs are under attack around the world. Not just from ISIS but from people just “like” us. Many of our neighbors, friends, colleagues and even family members have been swept up in the phony virtue of meism. Many Catholics attending Mass do not even believe in the Real Presence. Many Catholics believe abortion is okay and that birth control should not even be discussed because it is just a normal part of life. It is okay for people to: live together first as an unmarried “husband and wife”; then have a child; then get engaged, and then, when the child is old enough to be a flower girl or ring-bearer, maybe get married. Talk about putting the “cart before the horse”. Belgium, which is supposedly 75% Catholic, has approved euthanasia for children, and that is after the Bishops condemned the entire concept.

So, as St. Paul calls out to us from across the ages, many do not listen. They do not want to surrender their secularly approved philosophy of self-gratification. The term, “Cafeteria Catholic” has become common-place. Many do, in fact, pick & choose what church teachings fit their lifestyle. No doubt about it, secularism has taken a heavy toll.

The two verses quoted above are so profound for all of us, especially today. Here they are, one more time:

As members of the CWG and/or other Catholic writing groups, we have, in a way, found a comfort zone with each other. Most of us are traditional minded Catholics doing our best to follow the faith as handed down by Holy Mother Church. It is kind of a “safe place” to be because most members agree with each other regarding church teachings, especially in regard to faith & morals. Step outside our comfort zones and roll the dice with the anti’s (I do this quite often) and it can get ugly. All I know is that I am NOT so smart as to know better than the Church that Christ Himself founded. I shall listen and do my best to discern what is the WILL of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. I guess that is all any of us can do.

St. Paul, please pray for all of us.