Catholic Faith Space
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When I was in college, there was a campus department/organization called Healthy Choices Task Force. This was a group made up of faculty, staff, and students. And contrary to their name, they promoted many ideas, programs, and activities that were anything but healthy. One event they were planning on holding was called, “Healthy Pornography.” (These words do not belong together!) Working in the campus reservations office, I learned about this event several weeks before it was set to take place due to my supervisor, who also happened to be Catholic, drawing it to my attention in our reservation booking system and sharing his disgust and disappointment in this awful event that was being planned. I decided to investigate it a little bit so I reached out to get a summary from the event planners on what the purpose and summary of the event was. It turned out that their intent and goal for the event was to discuss and talk to students about how to view pornography in its different forms and it was going to be discussed in a positive light. I could not believe that any sane adult would think it was a good idea to promote this. As Catholics, when we come across evil, immoral, events, activities, or ideas that go against everything we believe we can either stay quiet and do nothing, or we can stand up and speak out.
Thankfully, my supervisor, who shared my faith, encouraged me to do something. That weekend after mass on campus, I brought it to the attention of our campus minister Sr. Laura, and our priest, Fr. Scott. We discussed the issue and prayed for the people involved with the event, that they might see the harm in it. A few days later, a group of us from the Phoenix Catholic student org got together to write a letter to send to the Vice-Chancellor, Dean of Students Office, and the event organizers to express our concerns, letting them know it went against our beliefs and morality. In the response we got from the vice chancellor, he indicated that while the University would not be making a definitive moral statement on the subject, they were rethinking the event and canceled it. We probably didn’t convert anyone or change their minds in this whole ordeal, but we planted a seed and made an effort to make Christ known in a small way. We made our voices heard. I share this story because we all see these types of things all around us on a regular basis. We live in a country that seems to have no moral compass. Whether it’s in the media, forms of entertainment, different groups/organizations, or just other people or situations we encounter, immorality and wickedness are all around us. Satan and the evil spirits truly “prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls”, as we pray in the St. Michael Prayer. In these situations, we must make the choice to stand by Christ and our faith, even when it is hard, uncomfortable, and it seems like the whole world is against us. The way we confront evil around us is not only through our words, but also through our actions and the way we live our lives. And we should not be surprised when people who don’t profess faith in God and spaces that do not welcome Him have let the evil one seep in, resulting in behaviors and actions that are contrary to faith in God. We must pray and continue our work that we have been given as disciples of Jesus, to share the Gospel and make Him known. When we choose to go against the ways of the world, holding firm to our faith and rejecting immorality and evil, people will take notice. While we will likely not change people’s minds or make them change their ways, we may be planting a seed, or causing them to think about what makes us live differently, wondering why we so strongly believe what we believe. When faced with two choices- to do nothing or to stand up, may we always choose to stand up for our faith, sharing a glimpse of Jesus with the world!
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Last Friday, I went to eucharistic adoration at my church. When I got there, there were four other people plus the priest. After almost an hour passed and I was close to leaving, our priest was the only person there. As I left, I hoped that more people would stop in within the last remaining hour. Right before I left, I was thinking about how often Jesus in the Eucharist sits on altars exposed in the monstrance and in tabernacles, waiting for us to come sit with Him, and how often we don’t.
As I reflected during my time at the church, a line from a book that I read in college came to mind. In the book Consoling the Heart of Jesus, by Fr. Michael Gaitley, the author is talking about Jesus’ Sacred Heart and says, “Behold this Heart which loves so much yet is so little loved” (Gaitley 92). This line is repeated several times throughout the book and has stuck with me as a powerful thought to reflect on throughout the years since I’ve read it. As Jesus was exposed for adoration Friday night, I thought about how Jesus was there, in a largely empty church. He loves so much but is often loved very little or not at all in return. It made me reflect on the times when I fail to love Jesus above all else, the times where I put Him below many other things. Most of us probably struggle with this at times. But when we take time for prayer and spend time deepening our relationship with Jesus, it is a step in the right direction, a step closer to where we ought to be. And I think that is what Jesus wants from us, to keep trying, to keep showing up, and to spend time with Him, so that we can become more like the people He created us to be. Jesus wants to pour out His love on us. And as I sat in church on Friday, it made me sad to think of all of the people from the community who have maybe never experienced this love that is found in adoration and in the mass. A community of people that can fill the pews and pack the church on Ash Wednesday and other certain days of the year, but with many of them not going to weekly mass or taking time to go to adoration. We are all busy and we all have a lot of stuff going on in our lives. But taking time to sit with Jesus is time where we are loving Him, who loves so much. It reorders our priorities and helps us to return a fraction of the love that He has for us. This week, reflect on the ways that you can love Jesus and how you will show Him that love. Yesterday I was listening to an episode from the Poco a Poco podcast where they were talking about life being a pilgrimage. If you’ve ever been on a pilgrimage before, you know that there are challenges and discomforts along the way, and when you reach the final destination/site, there is a lot of excitement and joy because you’ve finally made it. Pilgrimages that we go on can be a reflection of our lives as a whole, because our whole lives are a pilgrimage, as we walk towards the ultimate goal- eternal life with God.
One part of the podcast, one of the hosts mentioned that during a pilgrimage, unlike a vacation, we can’t just stop and check into a hotel and says, “Jesus doesn’t teach us to check into the hotel or take it easy” (Fr, Isaiah, CFR, 2024). When we get tired or want to stop moving, Jesus helps us to continue on. Our lives are like this too. The spiritual life is one that must keep moving forward. If we are not moving forward, we are either staying still or going backwards, meaning that we aren’t deepening our faith or growing in our relationship with Jesus. We are never going to make it to our destination by staying still, by being stagnant in our faith. When we are sore, tired, and weak, we keep going. Sometimes, it seems like having little or no faith would be easier. To be complacent and not care means that we wouldn’t have to put in the effort. Not knowing or caring would allow us to live as the world lives, carefree and as if nothing really matters. While it may seem like it would be easier, our lives would be a lot lonelier, a lot emptier, and a lot more seemingly meaningless. Even though this pilgrimage we are on is hard, it is completely worth it. And Jesus walks with us every step of the way. During a pilgrimage, we are able to encounter Jesus along the way, especially in the trying moments where there is discomfort and suffering. These moments allow us to lean on Jesus to carry us through. And just like the pilgrimages to different places we can make, our lives are one long pilgrimage. As you continue on this week, keep in mind the purpose and where you are trying to go, asking Jesus to be with you, with the hope that one day we will make it to the final pilgrimage destination. Fr. Isaiah, CFR, host. “Life and Mystery”. The Poco a Poco Podcast with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, episode 221, 17 July 2024, https://www.franciscanfriars.com/pocoap |
AuthorStriving to share hope, joy, God's love, and all of the good stuff, one blog post at a time. Categories |
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