Men's Rosary

It is apparent that we are “Living in the world of mass confusion, where contentment’s hard to find. Living in the days of revelation, with old Satan close behind.”  Words from one of my favorite Bluegrass Gospel songs.  Sadly, this is truer now than ever.

Satan works best with distraction and discontent.  My sponsor into the Catholic faith said that “the devil fishes in troubled waters.”  What is the solution to this problem?  It is my belief that it starts with each one of us.  It boils down the choices we make as to how we are going to live our lives.  Are we going to live for the world and its empty promises or for the Kingdom and the promises of Christ?

For most, this is a rhetorical question because we know the answer.  The problem is that in our weak, human nature we fall into the trappings of the world.  Things are placed above people.  Status is what we equate with honor and position.  Power is a drug that is so powerful that we will destroy anything in our path to it. 

“For the kingdom of God does not mean food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit; he who serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.  Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (Romans 14:17-19)  Spend some time with this scripture in prayer and ask yourself how you have been doing with this.  Then listen for what God has to say about it and ask His help to do better.

This will start in our families.  Then we can take this to our parishes and the community.  This is how we take these things to the world.  Everyone prays for peace, but how are they working for it?  To pray for peace but to live a life that is unrighteous or not peaceful makes a mockery out of prayer.  It is simply hypocritical!  To bring peace and contentment we need to be living examples of it.  We must make our decisions in life based on these truths.  It is the only way to live as God created us to be.  “He who pursues righteousness and kindness will find life and honor” (Proverbs 21:21)

I  find it interesting that in both Scripture passages we find the word “pursue”!  Our faith and salvation is not a spectator sport.  We must have skin in the game.  We are called to an active faith.  That active faith is our life and how we live it.  We are called to lift others up and promote peace.  This can be done in the simple things of life.  Helping a friend, listening to someone who needs a shoulder to lean on, sharing our time, our talents, and our treasure.  Praying for one another and especially our priests.  Then lead others to Christ.  This is where peace will be found.  There will never be “peace on Earth.”  “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars;  see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet come.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the sufferings.”  (Matthew 24: 6-8) 

The peace we seek, and the peace promised is in Heaven.  Let us help one another get there.  Focus on that and do not get drawn into the trappings of the world. We will do well to guide our lives by living the beatitudes: Matthew 5: 1-14. 

We have but one chance to live life here in the world.  We will be weighed and measured.  I am sure, part of that will be how did we bring the peace of Christ to others and how many souls did we help save.  “Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” (Galatians 6:7)  We must choose, live and work wisely!

“Christ has no body but mine.  He prays in me, looks through my eyes, speaks through my words, works through my hands, walks with my feet, and loves with my heart.”                        (St. Teresa of Avila)