The Gathering Gloom

We are experiencing regular storms here in New Mexico. But there is no water in the storms. Instead, dust rains down on us every day. It began a few weeks ago. I was driving along the highway when a large dark cloud seemed to rise up from the ground, rather than gathering in the sky. Because of the terrible dryness we have been experiencing, I assumed it might mean there was a fire on the horizon. But the darkness was spreading. And it wasn’t black or gray. It was brown.

The dust storm hit with a sudden blast of rocks, sand, dirt and wind. The howling sound filled every crevice. It was an eerie experience. And it has been repeated almost every day. The old timers of New Mexico and Oklahoma can, recall the years of the Dust Bowl which was even worse, they say. But there is an end to it eventually.

All of this reminds me of the gathering gloom that seems to be descending on our world. The Supreme Court is set to decide on re-defining marriage so it is about sex. In California they are trying to pass Gender Liberation laws, so kids can pick their gender preference. The Boys Scouts just voted to include openly gay scouts. The killing of babies born alive after abortions is being revealed as a regular practice. The numbers of laws and practices that point to the reality of Moral Decay are increasing daily.

So what are good Catholics to do when these dust storm gather?  One day, my son and I were bringing groceries to the car, when the dust storm approached. A woman near us ran back to the store for cover. Peter stood his ground and endured it. I tried to walk sideways to get to the car. There are many possible responses.

Some say we should re-focus…Pull our kids out of public schools. Avoid the news programs. Unplug from excessive media. Maintain strong Christian friendships. And pray without ceasing!

Others say we should fight…we can call legislators, sign petitions, try to make change. We can boycott, write blogs and remind people that now is not the time to be timid.

Others say we should be charitable, offer love and give example to a healthy moral life, making converts one at a time.

Any and all of these can be important. Perhaps, what came to me today is the voice of the old timers.  “Things can get worse. But good always wins in the end.”

God is present with us. We are called to be His hands and do His will. And then we trust in Him. Our little, everyday sufferings can be offered in reparation for the sins of the world. We join with Jesus in this way.  It is old wisdom, this idea of voluntary suffering….and it needs to be re-affirmed.

That’s what we must do…don’t lose hope because God is our comfort and our salvation. In Him we place our lives and we join with Him.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

On Becoming an Intentional Evangelist

CatholicMom.com has started a study of Sherry Weddell’s book Forming Intentional Disciples (see the link for www.CatholicMom.com/LawnChairCatechism and join in!)

It’s a good time for me to share a bit more about my background, I think. You see my husband, who is a convert to Catholicism, tells me that converts and “reverts” (fallen away Catholics who return) are the only ones who know their faith and feel a passion to share it. Sherry’s book seems to point to this conclusion as well.

I grew up in an Irish Catholic household and I was a good Catholic with a personal relationship with Christ–so I know that cradle Catholics can be “intentional disciples”…but it most often depends on the witness of parents.) I urged my family members to go to Confession, while they urged me to pray the rosary. As soon as I started college, I rushed to the Religious Education Office to volunteer as a teacher for high school students. I spent a few years aiding homeless people as a Catholic Worker.

But errors in thinking began to creep in as I became a young adult. Pride was the devil’s weapon. I was sure that I had a personal relationship with Jesus and therefore the Church wasn’t needed anymore! My friends and I would gather over coffee. One guy strummed on his guitar. We discussed the problems of the world late into the night and decided–we had all the answers!

Gradually, that devilish pride, that C.S. Lewis named Wormwood in the Screwtape Letters, told me that the Church too had problems. There were no women priests and I wanted to be one. There were no women popes and I thought that should happen. I became a feminist.

The thing about temptations is that once the devil has his foot in the door of your mind, he forces it open wide. But he makes you think this is all in the name of “intelligence”…just a bit of “questioning authority and developing a personal philosophy isn’t it”?

We live in times when the “good” has been made to seem “bad” and immorality is the biggest temptation. So, for around 25 years, I did my own thing. In the beginning, I prayed. But then prayer seemed unnecessary. “God knows our thoughts after all, right?” There was always a handy way to justify sin, even if it was “everybody else is doing it. Nobody is getting hurt.”

It took a long time to change back to a faithful, practicing, self-disciplined Catholic. Being a “revert” isn’t easy. But it has been intensely rewarding. Today I know my faith deeply. I know the power of prayer.

The lies of relativism are the work of the devil. The TRUTH is that knowing God (just as with cultivating any relationship) takes work, effort, study, prayer. And our Church has the fullness of truth, which is a deep and wondrous revelation from God. Certainly faith should be personally developed. But we need the Church and the sacraments to keep us from making idols in our minds.

These are my current favorite quotes from St. Augustine:

“If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

“To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances; to seek Him is the greatest adventure; to find Him, the greatest human achievement.”

If you have stopped growing in faith and love for our Lord, then you are putting distance between yourself and He Who Loves us infinitely. To change that, make a plan to be a disciplined disciple!

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

Pope Benedict XVI

The shyest girl in my Sunday School class wrote the best letter to Pope Benedict XVI when he decided to step down from the papacy. Her joyful, “Thank for being our very special Father” was an inspiration to me. It seemed like a “God thing” when I began working on another writing project and came across all kinds of “Benedict Quotes” in my files. The more I read his quotes, the more I see what a “very special Father” he really has been!

He told the young people at World Youth Day in 2008, “Do not be fooled by those who see you as just another consumer in a market of undifferentiated possibilities, where choice itself becomes the good, novelty usurps beauty, and subjective experience displaces truth.”

That one sentence is pregnant with so much power!

1) “Choice” has become synonymous with “good” in our morally sick world. Insisting on choice is not, in and of itself, a good thing. I may insist on making the choice to never clean my house or hit the dog or drink and drive—but insisting on such choices will never mitigate their wrongness.

“Good” is something that exists when we align our choices with God. Then and only then do we “make good choices” because God IS Good. And it is freeing to choose Him, because it means being released from the slavery of sin. The devil likes us to make bad choices because that leads along a downward spiral of hopelessness. The woman decides she doesn’t want to be pregnant. She chooses an abortion. She knows about killing. She begins to feel depressed.

“Pro-life” embraces the gift of life which is “good.” “Pro-choice” only embrace “options” which keeps the door open for the self-absorbed.

2) The Pope said, “Novelty usurps beauty.” We see this truth all around us in the search for new “highs”. “Beauty” is a standard associated with “goodness.” Sunsets have beauty. Flowers, with their patterned leaves and delicate colors, convey beauty. Beauty refreshes the soul. It is a perceptual experience of harmony that leads to a sense of joy. It harkens to the Beatific Vision…when we come to see God it will be the ultimate experience of joy, truth, goodness and beauty.

So, thinking that new games, skimpy fashions or self-absorbed lifestyles will lead to happiness is a gross, misunderstanding of what is important. Our hearts long for beauty because we have come from the Beatific One!

3) The last in Pope Benedict’s list of warnings to young people is that “subjective experience has displaced truth” in the modern world. It used to be we understood that individual feelings and desires do not define reality. It is commonsense. Just because I felt hurt when someone looked at me funny, doesn’t mean that person is evil and out to get me! He could be having a bad day. I may have misread the expression. The person may have been glaring at someone behind me. There are a whole host of possible explanations outside of my immediate experience. The way to find out what is “true” is to do some research, ask some questions and look for the Big picture. The real beacon for understanding Truth is to “take it to God.”

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” All goodness, beauty, wisdom and essence can be found only in one place.

Here is another quote from Benedict: “The religious sense planted within the human heart leads us…to search for concrete ways to contribute to the common good. Religion…teaches people that authentic service requires sacrifice and self-discipline, which in turn must be cultivated through self-denial, temperance and a moderate use of the world’s goods.”

Thank you Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI…we still love you. You have been a good guide.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello, OCDS

Preparation for the Road Ahead

For the past several decades American Catholics have immersed themselves into American culture. We look and act just like everyone else. And increasingly this has meant that we can’t be distinguished from a Protestant or an atheist. To be “like everyone else” you can’t be praying in public or talking about morals that have been largely dismissed by the popular culture.

In this immersion, we now have vast numbers of people who are Catholic “in name only”—they don’t subscribe to the morals and doctrine taught by the Church and they only come to Mass for Christmas and Easter. Since many churches don’t have Adult Faith Formation programs, and it would be hard to insist on attendance anyway, many of today’s Catholics have no idea what Catholicism means.

To truly take up the mission of Christ, we must “take every career captive” for Him. We need to be visible in the world. Our faith should be clearly seen in all aspects of life–in marriage, jobs, friendships and service. We are called to shine a bright light for the world. For too long, the light of our faith has been hidden under a basket.

To turn around our identity as American Catholics, our young people will need to be prepared, supported and “enlightened.” That’s what a good Catholic education should be about.

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As Peter begins the process of applying to colleges, we decided to visit Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio to see what it has to offer. Franciscan is literally and figuratively “a light on the hill”! Overlooking a small town, the large cross on campus can be seen from a distance.  We were met at the information desk by Fr. Gregory in his Franciscan robes. When Peter asked about the Cross Country team, a student told us, “Fr. Gregory takes a cross and stands along the hardest path for the runners. As they go by him, he calls out, ‘Run for Him. Do it for Jesus.’”

At the end of our campus visit we went to see the latest production of the college’s theatre department. In a small intimate setting, three departments on campus joined to produce something special. The Visual Arts program created exquisite stained glass windows representing virtues. The Music Department contributed an unseen choir singing a cappella.  And the Theatre program presented a Medieval Morality Play called Everyman.

The play is about a man (wonderfully portrayed by Gabe Velazquez) who had lived immersed in the world, with little thought for faith. He is suddenly confronted by Death and given a short time to prepare for the journey to judgment. The man turns to his friends and companions, thinking they will stand up for his character. But he is laughed at and abandoned. The man thinks his wealth and treasures should somehow help him…afterall, he has given himself totally to their accumulation. But, of course, his worldly treasures mean nothing in the life that comes after death.

He turns to virtues and discovers that “Good Deeds” can accompany him on the final journey. But his few deeds have made this Virtue unable to stand. “Knowledge” helps the man see. He eventually turns to Confession and Repentance. He turns to Christ. Only then is mercy opened for his soul.

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The visit to the campus of Franciscan was a wonderful reminder that we need to be a Light for the world. To do this, we must begin by giving our young people the opportunity to be en-light-ened. Then the future will be brighter for all.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

Getting Prepared

With all these morality issues confronting our kids—abortion without parental notification, LGBT pressures that push for “gender spectrum education” and for “transgendered children”, and the ‘hooking up” culture that detaches sex from any type of relationships whatsoever—our kids need some serious “armor.” Did you know it’s now “in/cool” for children to say they’re “bisexual”? And I just saw a young boy’s Facebook page with porn links all over it.

I am not an alarmist…on second thought maybe I am! Call it whatever seems appropriate. It is time for parents to pull out that Armor of Christ and help our kids learn to wear it.  St. Paul tells us we need armor because we are in a deadly (soul killing) battle against the devil. (The good news is that he wrote about this battle nearly 2000 years ago. So the temptations and assaults of the devil are nothing new. However, St. Paul would be “beyond scandalized” by the kinds of things happening in our modern world.)

There was a time when our culture seemed to uphold and aspire to truth and virtue. Now our culture promotes relativism and pleasure. There are two important points to make when these discussions come up:

1)    “Morality” is not something that can be put up for a vote. Morality is either “right” or “wrong.” If the majority says “killing babies is legal and therefore acceptable” that still doesn’t make abortion any less sinful/wrong.

2)    There are those who say, “Live and let live”…there are those who consider themselves to be Catholic and yet find it acceptable to go along with abortion, same sex marriage and hooking up.  But, those who watched Hitler do his thing without saying a word of protest, were bystander participants in evil. Dante who wrote the Divine Comedy (in the 14^th century), said, “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.” We are called to be informed and once we are informed we must speak up.

The Armor we need:

Ephesians 6:10-18:

St. Paul says we need to have our feet firmly planted…Reality and logic seem to be missing in the current debates about moral issues. The Lobby for Untruth has twisted our language so that people are confused and “bad” seems “good”. It is important to be educated and pay attention to the carefully articulated teachings of the Magisterium guided by the Holy Spirit. Obedience is necessary on the “narrow path”. If we were in the military we would obey our commander or face discharge. In the Church we have received moral directives which we are called to obey.

We need the “belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness.” Our culture would like to do away with tradition. The past has been discarded as useless and irrelevant. But it is not. Those who ignore the past are doomed to repeat it. Read: the Fall of the Roman Empire and note the similarities between then and now.

The Lord has given us each Gifts of the Spirit which we are to use for His glory. Some are called to teach, some are to preach. Some are to care for the poor. All of these things can help bring about greater good. See Romans 12:6-8.

We need “the shield of faith.” Our Church teaches about the One who saves by dying, who has all the power of heaven available and yet allows His persecutors to torture and torment Him. It seems a paradox. Yet this witness allows us to find peace amid the conflicts that swirl around us, because we have our Savior beside us. His Mother is with us. We are surrounded by angelic realms. We see what non-believers cannot see—when we open the eyes of faith.

We need “the helmet of salvation.” Our minds may feel trapped. Sometimes we don’t have the right response, the quick comeback. But the helmet we put on is the guarantee of life everlasting. We have a “long view” on all of this.

Finally, we need “the sword of the Spirit.” All things are possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is not our words or actions that will make the difference. But when we put ourselves out there, to defend Truth and seek conversions, the Spirit is able to work on the hearts of those around us.

St. Teresa of Avila writes about a man who was a gambler. He lived an immoral, decadent life. On his deathbed he regretted the way he had lived but he refused to repent. He assumed he was beyond help. His confessor and the nuns argued with him and they prayed for him. It was probably not their words that finally reached the man.

But the Spirit of God opened his heart and the man gushed forth his sorrow and repentance. He died with a smile on his face.

That’s what it means to do battle against evil. Be informed. Be ready. Pray. Love.

image credit

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

Consider this dialogue between 2 students in a high school hallway:

Why aren’t you wearing purple today?

Why should I?

It’s solidarity day. We are supposed to show support for gays and lesbians.

I’m supportive of all individuals, but I don’t support the gay/lesbian agenda to transform families and re-define morality and marriage.

Oh. You’re one of those bigots aren’t you?! You want to force your morality on everyone else. Come on…don’t be like that. You have no right to judge them. Your own religion says “Judge not least you be judged…” Besides the teachers support this and give extra credit for everyone wearing purple. So here. Wear this tie.

Does this sound farfetched? Or is this already a frequent conversation in the hallways at your children’s school?  Ask your teens–are they getting help in responding to this pressure to join the various causes to redefine morality? Do they talk about this in their Confirmation classes? If not, why not?

To be “confirmed in the faith” should mean they have been equipped with the tools to defend our Lord—that we have put on the armor of Christ. This does not mean being angry and hostile. But it should mean that our young people can stand up for Truth.

Great Britain legalized same sex marriage in February.  Teachers in Canada are promoting a “gender continuum curriculum.” Have you read about the six year old boy who is said to be “transgendered”? His parents want to support “whatever the child is actualizing to be” and so have allowed him to act as a girl, call himself a girl, and have talked to him about a sex change operation.  Sadly this isn’t an isolated incident. Just type in “transgender children.”

What kind of parenting considers gender on a “continuum” and seeks surgery to re-create a child? And what kind of country rejects the meaning and sacredness of the marriage union?

Marriage has been around for 2000 years as a sacred ceremony calling on God to help two people in their lifetime of commitment, and devotion to family.  But today,  “marriage” is being reduced to a common union built on desire and convenience. Marriage is being reduced to legal finagling to join whichever people desire to come together for however long such a joining can last. No god, no devotion, no sacrament, no commitment to what is best for children.

Why did God destroy Sodom and Gomorrah?  Why are there various Biblical quotes condemning homosexuality?  Was God mistaken in the Bible?

St Augustine said, “If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe–but yourself.”

I suspect our Confirmation programs and our few (are they happening anywhere?) Adult Ed. programs need some serious overhauling to confront the active assaults on parenting, marriage, morality and Truth.

In order to reclaim truth we will need to respond to the confused muddle of convenience-based, self-serving agendas. I hear some of those students talking again:

I don’t want the purple tie. Thanks.

So you’re sticking with your bigotry then?

You said I am not allowed to judge others. But you are judging and condemning me right now.

Well, I guess I am. But gays have been judged for centuries. It’s time for a change.

I don’t believe sexual attraction makes up the total identity of any person. I am a struggling student who gets Cs, but that doesn’t define who I am. I don’t go around saying “equal rights for C students. Grades are discrimination.” My friend has diabetes but that’s not her whole identity either. My faith, as well as historical reality, tells us that homosexuality shouldn’t be promoted as a basis for families and the raising of children. The people who feel that inclination have choices to make. But hey, we all have struggles and choices! I’m striving to be a better student. My friend with diabetes has learned to control her blood sugar levels. Let’s respect each other as human beings and offer help and compassion…but not purple ties.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

The Compassion of the Spirit

It’s easy to see the faults in others and feel frustrated. What about those Catholic teenagers who were proclaiming the need for “gay marriage” and laughing at those who support the sacramental nature of the marriage union of a man and a woman? Or what about the editorial writer in the newspaper who writes a column about a Zen master who abused women and uses this topic to condemn the Catholic priesthood? Say what?

Such things begin to raise my blood pressure a bit. But I had an insight this morning that helped me cope in a more productive way.

I was talking to the children about the importance of fasting, not just from candy but also from those behaviors that seem to take over our lives. We talked about what those might be…the video games, the urge to send out text messages, the need to have a cell phone handy at all times. Then, as I sat in Mass, I realized that seeing the faults in others is also a behavior issue…

It’s not that “we shouldn’t judge others” as some people like to say. No. That is relativism and it causes the blood pressure issue when people say, “Live and let live.” We are indeed called to point out errors in thinking. God uses our hands and words to be His presence in the world. As Dante wrote, “The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis.”

Our world is in a time of moral crisis, so we cannot be neutral. But the behavior issue has to do with HOW we confront the world.  We don’t have to lash out. We shouldn’t throw up our hands and say, “All is lost. They are idiots.”

The way we make a difference is to remember that, “There too, but by the grace of God, go I.” We aren’t all that different from the teens who are following the “politically correct” line of talk or the writer who goes from one attack to another. We are all sinners. The sins of others are in fact, a great reminder that we too are sinners. They need help; we need help. We are not morally superior.

The source of our help is the working of the Holy Spirit. Deacon Don Cupps just wrote a note to remind me that we are called to: 1) Do our part in the world, and 2) Trust that the Holy Spirit will bring that work to completion.

“After all,” writes Deacon, “The followers of Jesus traveled with Him for three years, and they still didn’t ‘get it’ until the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost. Patience, patience.”

So this is my thought for Lent: Be clear about error and sin. Remember that we are all sinners. Be compassionate. Then speak out. And finally, trust in the Spirit to bring this effort to completion.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

Stillness, Truth and Lent

There are those who would say that “right and wrong” are not the same for everyone. According to this way of thinking if the young woman down the street is going to have an abortion, I have no right to “judge her” (which also means not saying anything.) If the young man at the high school is dealing drugs, I may think it is wrong, but I don’t have to DO anything. If the state introduces a new Sex Education Program presenting “two moms, two dads”, surely they know what they are doing…who am I to say?

The premise of the modern world is “I’m OK, you’re OK…Live and let live.” But such a hands off, morality-free way of living isn’t working, is it? The statistics say that 82% of our Catholic young people now think that “morality is relative to circumstances.” That means I can determine “right and wrong” for myself. What a great opening this has been to justify co-habitation because “everyone is doing it”, abortion to get rid of the “inconvenience of babies”, and the active promotion of homosexual behavior.

Diadochus of Photice was a bishop of the 5^th century who wrote One Hundred Chapters on Spiritual Perfection! Sounding a call from centuries past he tells us to wake-up—this is not the time to be lulled into errors of reasoning! He wrote that the light of “true knowledge” makes it possible to discern, without error, the difference between good and evil. We can know the Truth and it is universal and readily available. But the trick to uncovering it, he says, is to “maintain stillness of mind, even in the midst of our struggles. We shall then be able to distinguish between the different types of thought that come to us.” He makes an awesome comparison…”A tranquil sea allows the fisherman to gaze right to the depths. No fish can hide there…[But] the stormy sea…becomes murky when it is agitated by the winds. The very depths that it revealed in its placidness, the sea now hides.”

It is the “winds” of the world that sweep over us and muddle our thinking. We need clarity now more than ever. But remember, just beneath the surface, the “fish” are there and in capturing them we will be filled and satisfied. The fish is a symbol of faith and Truth. To digest this substance is to be comforted and safe within the realm of truth.

To calm the stormy seas of moral chaos, we need LENT. In her wisdom the Church has seen that we need this period of forty days as a retreat from the ordinary. When we discipline the appetites and refuse to give in to every excuse for sin (even though the excuses are readily available), then the waters calm. The fish are evident. We can paddle towards Home in Heaven.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

St. Basil the Great described sin this way: It is “the misuse of powers given us by God for doing good, [for] a use contrary to God’s commandments.”  The two greatest commandments, which summarize the 10 of the Old Testament, are to love God above all else and to love our neighbor as ourselves.

But the devil has been using people for at least a century now to twist every word of truth—like love, commandments, good—into something ugly or unholy. Love now means lust/desire/self pleasure. Commandments are “repressive control measures.” And what has always been perceived as “good” –especially the marriage of a man and a woman and family—are now “bad” or at least unnecessary.

Judith Stacey, a sociologist, says “good riddance” to the traditional family and says society is better off getting rid of this “social construct.” She’s not alone. Numerous academics and activists are widely promoting the end of family as we know it.

The erosion of family as the basic unit of society, began with the introduction of contraception and expanded with “no-fault” divorce and is going under with the push to re-define what marriage means. In the modern world the State is now the arbitrator of what is best for children…how can that possibly be “good”?

But back to St. Basil because he’s an inspiration. He was born in 330 AD into a family of ten children–several in his family were confirmed as saints in the centuries since that time! The easily-identified saintliness within one family speaks a great deal for his mother and father who offered a firm foundation of goodness and virtue. Basil spoke out against evil wherever he saw it and was a very convincing speaker. He showed great compassion for the needy and helped end prostitution in his area by excommunicating those involved in that practice. He promoted spiritual discipline and founded monasteries.

Although St. Basil lived long ago, his life story tells us that family is important and that wrong thinking has been around forever. It takes vigilance and self-discipline to counter error. It takes adherence to the sacraments to find peace. It takes courage to live in a fallen world.

That’s why in 1890 Pope Leo XIII wrote and recommended for daily use the Prayer of St. Michael. Sin and the devil are thriving, as he saw in a terrifying vision. But St. Basil and St. Michael are our friends.

To be able to speak knowledgeably on the current marriage controversy see the new book What is Marriage? Man and Woman: A Defense by Sherif Girgis, Ryan Anderson and Robert George.

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

St. Joan of Arc

Mark Twain wrote an out-of-character-for-him historical fiction book about the heroine who inspired his dreams. In fact, he went to France to study the 15^th century trial manuscripts about Joan of Arc.  His fictionalized biography is based on detailed records of a trial that questioned the 19-year-old about her entire life. So we have a detailed record of a girl who rallied the courage of the French people and in 13 short months she nearly ended the Hundred Year War.

Feminists hold up the image of Joan as a primary example that men and woman are the same and should do the same things. But our faith as Christians teaches us something totally different when we look at St. Joan. In fact, the season of Christmas teaches us that truth and freedom are much different than the rights-demanding mindset of the modern world.

Joan of Arc, was a beautiful girl who cried at the sight of blood.  Like many examples given to us in the Bible, Joan was the exact opposite of what anyone would expect from the Commander-in-Chief of the entire French army.  God picks the heroes in times when big change is required and He shows His presence by tapping the shoulder of the unlikely.

Imagine the disbelief of everyone when a 17-year-old, illiterate shepherd girl from a small village in France said that God has sent her to lead the army and re-claim her country from English domination?! It was outrageous.  The shock was not only because she was a girl. But she was a child with no experience or knowledge. She had never even ridden a horse. She didn’t know the geography of the land, let alone military strategy.

But the same sequence of events has been true before. Nomadic tribes tormented Israel for seven years until God appointed a young leader named Gideon. Gideon describes  himself as the poorest and most insignificant person.”Please , my Lord, how can I be the one to save Israel?” he says. (Judges 6: 15).  Afraid of his own community Gideon pulls down their altar to Baal during the night, and his father defends his action. Then, after witnessing God’s miracles, Gideon grows in confidence. But God tells him he has gathered too many soldiers for the battle ahead. The numbers are whittled down from several thousand to a mere 300 even though the enemy is “as thick as locusts.” Thus God uses a poor boy and a small band of soldiers to show His mercy and love for the people. (Judges 7:1-22)

David was another youth who became a hero. The youngest son of Jesse, he too was a mere shepherd boy. Yet he was the one God strengthened to do battle against the feared giant, Goliath and lead the battles of Israel against all their enemies.  (1Sam. 17:41)

And contrary to popular belief, not all Old Testament heroes are male. Judith was a descendant of Gideon. She was a widow who had fasted for three years before she prayed, “Make every nation know clearly that you are God, the God of all power and might.” (Judith 9:14) She cuts off the head of the enemy king and instructs the people on how they will have victory.

Throughout the Old Testament we hear story after story about how God uses the weak and the insignificant in order to display His love for humanity.  Then in the most spectacular example of all, God Himself comes to earth—not in power and glory as we might expect—but as a baby born in the cold, lowliness of a barnyard stable. Power is turned upside down. Rights are not asserted. Demands for change are not made. Instead, we have the grand witness of love. We see the truth that love will be persecuted. God’s Victory transcends this world and lives forever.

God reveals Himself in the most unexpected of ways.

And so we return to Joan of Arc. Her story is a surprise. In no way does she demand anything for herself. Words of saints and heavenly messengers have come to her. And she does as she is told out of love.  She is obedient, humble and persevering. She is faithful, earnest and compassionate. In these very qualities she inspires… and suddenly an entire country is transformed.  The story of Joan is a story of God, working through good servants who become Great.

The work ahead in transforming our fallen culture is not easy. Our modern world is filled with paganism—abortion, perversion, attacks on family and Christianity, attacks on religious freedom. There are battles to be fought. And the example we have to follow during the Christmas season is the martyrdom of St. Stephen, who looked to heaven as he was being stoned to death. Joan died in that same posture. The battle of faith leads to the wonder of the Cross.

Pay attention. God calls the unlikely!  It’s time to be prepared.

St. Joan of Arc pray for us.  

Copyright 2013 Judith Costello

This kind of history education began when the schools stopped teaching “history.” Now it is “social studies” and the entire thrust of this study is to say that Christian countries which practiced colonization were “evil” and they destroyed beautiful civilizations.

The real truth is that while the act of taking over countries through force was wrong, Christians introduced culture and Truth to people who desperately needed it.  Christians built roads and cities. They introduced healthcare and education. And they brought the Truth of faith. Truth can be known. For example, a basic truth of natural law and the law of faith says that the killing of innocents is wrong.

In Natural History magazine in 1977, we read about the history of Mexico. The article includes a diary entry from Bernal Díaz, who was among the Spanish soldiers in Mexico. After his company was driven out of Tenochtitlán by the Aztecs, the survivors returned to witness the fate of their captive comrades. The Aztecs regularly sacrificed children and captives to their gods. Diaz wrote:

“Then they kicked the bodies down the steps, and the Indian butchers who were waiting below cut off their arms and legs and flayed their faces…Then they ate their flesh…”

The author of the article writes, “Gruesome as these practices may seem, an ecological perspective and population pressure theory render the Aztec emphasis on human sacrifice acceptable as a natural and rational response to the material conditions of their existence.” (http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/aztecs/sacrifice.htm)

The anthropologist author says the pressures, of an ecological nature, can be a valid reason for human sacrifices. Somewhere between 20,000-50,000 human sacrifices were performed each year by the Aztecs. At one point, for the special dedication of a new temple, 80,000 people were murdered in just four days.

The Spanish witnesses were rightly horrified. But in the modern era of RELATIVISM we don’t simply report history; it is rationalized. It is excused. And it is revised to present to children.

So the modern books don’t tell about this. The human sacrifices are minimized while the actions of the Spanish are emphasized and exaggerated. Important details are left out. According to a historian from that period of history, in 1531 a peasant named Juan Diego saw Our Lady of Guadalupe. She left her image on his cactus cloth tilma. And we can still see that cloth image today outside of Mexico City, which is a miracle in itself!

But beyond that, word of this image spread rapidly. The appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe spoke volumes to the Aztec people. The image is symbolic and in the symbolism it says–the Son of this beautiful Spanish/Aztec lady is stronger than the gods of the Aztecs and the Christian religion has power and offers new life.

The people of Mexico converted in droves. Without bloodshed. There were millions of converts.

That is historically relevant information , is it not? But, because it shows beauty and love, truth and mystery–and because it is Christian—it is left out.

As I think about the Aztecs and their sacrifices it is clear that every horrific human behavior is rationalized. Take for example abortion. The killing of babies is explained. Then it is excused. Then it is legalized. Then it is promoted. And then change is very hard.

We live in a fallen world where sin abounds. But we must stay anchored to Truth which we can find in our faith. We need to watch what are children are learning and challenge relativism at every turn.

Our Lady of Guadalupe pray for us. Watch over our children.

To read more about the historical facts of Mexico’s conversion to Catholicism see: Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Conquest of Darkness by Dr. Warren Carroll.

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello, MA, OCDS

The Newman Guide

My son is a high school junior. He sits with his friends at dinner and the topic is, “Where are you going to college?” I happen to be nearby so I listen in…

“I’m going into engineering. Look here—the starting pay for a civil engineer is $85,000.”

Another says, “Sports medicine is where it’s at. Hey, we all like sports. And the starting pay is over 100 grand.”

It becomes clear that the overall goal of the group is, “What career path pays the best?” But should  that really be the deciding factor for the future of our young people? Is that the goal of higher education—to come out with a big bucks job?

Most adults can look back on those times when key decisions about the future were being made; and many feel a sense of regret.  Because the goal of life is not making big bucks. Nor is it having freedom to pursue “pleasure.” Our Catholic faith warns us that these things are temporary and can be sources of great sin. The pursuit of money above all else leads to “creating a false god.” A violation of the first commandment. The pursuit of pleasure (in sexuality, consumer goods and avoidance of “hard work”) lead s to all kinds of mortal and venial sins.

But there are goals worth pursuing. Happiness, fulfillment, peace of mind, love, service. Those are worthy goals, albeit a bit elusive.

It is for this reason that I’m praying that more of our young people will look for good, Catholic liberal arts schools in order to explore what it means to live on this earth. They need to slow down long enough to hear God calling!

“What is my purpose in life? Why did God create me? What is God calling me to do?” These are questions that will lead to self-fulfillment and happiness. But these questions aren’t easily answered in the midst of consumerism, busy-ness and a self-imposed career path.

A liberal arts education means lots of time for self-reflection. Philosophy is important. History is necessary. Literature leads to self reflection.  Deeper religious formation is crucial.

Sadly, there are many Catholic universities that are no longer truly Catholic. So planning for this next step is not easy for either our young people or for parents. There are plenty of Catholic colleges out there that produce a majority of graduates who no longer believe in God or they relegate faith to something you do on Sunday.

If faith is to inform the lives of young people, if our young people are going to discern the true calling for which they were created, they need a supportive, deeply spiritual environment. That’s why I am keeping an eye on the schools recommended by the Cardinal Newman Society.  From what I can tell, their list is trustworthy and those colleges they recommend are truly places where our children can learn the answer to life’s biggest questions!  Check it out at http://thenewmanguide.com/

Discernment is far more important than choosing a career path. Discernment has to do with becoming who you are truly meant to be!

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello 

Respect Life

When my husband meets people who insist on the right to abortion, he always “agrees.”  “Certainly. I believe in it; but only to age 3. After that you have to keep the kid don’t you think?” His way of communicating with an edgy humor, sometimes gets people to think.

I’ve been trying to do my small part too in speaking out about abortion. But in an election year, talking about this means being told you are a “single issue voter” without any clue about the big picture. I’ve been told that a President can do nothing about abortion, so we can overlook that issue and vote on other areas of concern such as social justice.

So I’ve been praying about this. Am I rallying around an issue that is not relevant? Is abortion a single, isolated issue that becomes emotionally charged and easily manipulated by politicians but is really not something they can change?

Well, it came to me that there is a response to this charge. Here is what I wrote to my friends and family.

Dear friends,

The sad issue of abortion seems hard to change, doesn’t it? For forty years it’s been legal and socially acceptable in this country.  It was ruled into law by the Supreme Court and no president or Congress, from either party, has reversed that decision. But does that really mean a president has no impact on this issue? Does that mean abortion is irrelevant during an election? 

After praying and researching more about this topic it has become clear to me that there are dozens of issues related to abortion that presidents really do influence in profound ways. I’m not going to write about what individual presidents have done or not done. But I want you to know that abortion shouldn’t be dismissed as a single issue that is out of the control of politicians. A president can impact these all of these areas:

abortion funding, the rights of babies born alive during abortions (and there are many more of these infants than you want to know about), the extent of legal abortions (partial birth abortions and newborn abortions), the forcing of Catholic employers to provide contraception and abortion-inducing drugs to employees, the appointment of Supreme Court Justices who could vote on abortion again since we have new information about the pain babies experience during abortion, the appointment of key people in positions of power who make decisions in many areas such as health care and women’s issues, participation in UN conferences on “population control”, participation in “health care” support for third world countries where abortion is currently being promoted by the US, scientific research and the gender make-up of our country (since sex selection abortions are being considered now).

The president is responsible for moral leadership. That is a lot of influence, don’t you think? And these areas are just a few of the many ways a president makes decisions that impact the issue of abortion.

So is it being a “single issue voter” to be concerned? Many say that I am not seeing the big picture. But I must humbly beg to differ. It seems to me that abortion is connected to economics (where we put our money). It is connected to religious freedom. It is related to big government. It is a justice issue and it is related to the morality of our leaders. It is a life issue. It is a part of world affairs. It is a part of science, research and plans for the future.

Abortion impacts areas of freedom, morality and life itself. It is really connected to every other issue, isn’t it? Respect for LIFE is the single greatest social justice issue. Pope John Paul II said that we can’t practice the killing of the most innocent, without destroying the entire moral fabric of our country.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has declared that Oct. is Respect Life Month and 40 Days for Life Programs are underway in many communities.

Jesus said, “I came so all might have life and have it to the full.” (John 10:10.)

So, let’s promote and vote–on LIFE.

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello

No Time for Complacency

Sometimes it’s easy to think we can just “ride out the storm” and everything will get better “tomorrow, tomorrow, there’s always tomorrow.”  But the issue of immorality is not going away.

You may not know this yet—but “gender-free classrooms” are on the horizon. The British Columbia Teachers Federation Handbook says that, “Gender is a product of the mind.” Students should be allowed to dress in any fashion, according to any gender identity they choose; and gender specific pronouns should be thrown out. The mandates of this teachers union say that bathrooms should be available based on the “gender identity” the student feels that day. (Boys who feel like girls will go to the girls’ restroom!)  Everything must be scrutinized for gender bias and sex education needs to begin in elementary school to discuss a whole “continuum of possible gender identities.”

The National Education Association in the US is moving in this same direction. What does it all mean?

I had no idea this kind of thinking even existed until I did a presentation 6 years ago for my daughter’s second grade class.  The teacher and I created a Knights and Ladies program for the end of the year. The plan was that it would be historical and encompass “across the curriculum” ideas. We taught the little kids words like “chivalry” and we talked about the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. We read stories about defeating dragons. The boys created dragon posters and bean bags to slay the dragons. The girls decorated a big box castle and made “healing herb pouches.” We had a grand costume party at the end of the year which was envied by everyone else in the school!

I sent an article about this to a popular online Teachers’ magazine. And the hate mail flowed for over a month.  

I was accused of “gender stereotyping.” “What about the boys who wanted to wear gowns?” teachers asked me.

I was accused of being “homophobic.” “Children shouldn’t be forced into acting like knights just because they are boys,” the teachers said.

I was accused of promoting “violence” because the boys threw their beanbags at the large dragon banners hanging between trees.

I was told that I was encouraging repression and forcing children to be one way. I was told that boys and girls would act exactly the same way except that people like me force them into gender roles which is abusive.

The truth is—these teachers are instilling terrible confusion in our young people!  Modern kids have no idea what it means to be who they are—as a boy or a girl. They need role models and clarity–not gender chaos!

What a terrible disservice this kind of thinking does to our children. But beyond that—it is immoral. God created us as “male and female.” Gen. 1:27  To pretend that gender is not two distinct forms of identity leads to moral relativism…”Whatever feels good to you, IS good for you.” Forget “right and wrong, truth and lies”—they are rigid categories just like “male and female.”

I advise all parents: Pay attention to what’s happening at your children’s school. Watch out for new textbooks with “gender free” ideas. Watch out for sex education programs.  Make you voice known.

And try asking, “Can we have a Knights and Ladies party at the end of the year?” See what happens!

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello

Isn’t It Scary?

I got an invitation to a fundraiser for a political underdog. She’s behind in all the polls. But I can’t afford to offer money to candidates, so these messages usually go immediately to the circular file. But a simple statement caught my eye. It said, “She believes that marriage – the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife – is the best institution for raising children.”  It took me back a step because, I can’t imagine ever, in the history of this country, when this kind of statement has been necessary. How is it that this is no longer obvious and has to be stated this way?

It seems that when Roe v. Wade was passed, all the doors to immorality were opened. It was the day when the law said that babies could be killed because they are “inconvenient and unwanted”, that the devils poured out! That piece of legislation implied that marriage is no longer based on the model of husband, wife, child. Marriage then, was also redefined in terms of convenience and self-gratification…”what can I get out of this?”

Marriage became no longer an institution of society under the heavenly model set for us in the Holy Family. Instead, it’s a tax break and a linking up for sex with a bit of security thrown in. Except, marriage, that is legal but not sacramental, isn’t very secure is it? Divorce rates skyrocketed during these past forty years so couples tried the “take your partner for a test drive before you buy” model. Yet, even then, the premise has always been, “Kids do better with an intact family, so divorce is very sad.”

But now marriage is being redefined yet again. When the President of the United States spoke out in favor of gay marriages, and when one of the two official Parties of this country, made putting an end to the Defense of Marriage as a part of their platform, it seemed as if the earth shook with the devil’s laughter. How happy Satan is!

During his three years of ministry on earth, Jesus referred to his “Father” over a hundred times. The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, was to be the mode, the very cornerstone of civilization. Marriage is meant to be sacramental, which means it is a covenant between a man and woman who are willing to sacrifice for each other in order to become a part of that building of society as they bring children into the world.

When God is not invited into the dynamic of partnering and life issues are not respected, the basic building blocks of society begins to crumble. My friend Vanda, who just had a baby, says it this way, “Since traditional/sacramental marriage and respect for life are FOUNDATIONAL principles for a civilized society – if we do not vote to maintain these elements of natural law (which they are of course) – we are taking a hand in this destruction.”

Moral decline is deepening in this country. Can you feel it? Can you see our country faltering? Aren’t you scared?

Of course we are also concerned about economic and social issues in the coming election. So, I recommend this YouTube video of Fr. Barron talking about what Catholic Social Teaching really means. It’s important to understand.   We are currently faced with bigger government and out-of-control debt, along with increasing immorality that is legislated into law

Pray. We need to pray diligently. And vote for Family, Faith and Children. 

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello

Sister Innocentia by Judith Costello

Whatever happened to that nice quiet calm that is supposed to descend on moms after the return to school?

It didn’t happen here. Instead there is more chaos as the kids adjust to new homework levels and mom adjusts to a schedule that gets busier than ever. So when I sat down at my desk to catch up on email, I was in for a “God Moment” surprise. Sitting right next to my screen, in the spot where our fat cat has cleared away everything so he could spread out, I found a yellowed pamphlet with a tear in the middle. I have no idea how it got there. But it is stamped on the back with the words “Poor Clare Nuns, Rockford, IL, 1963.”

My great aunt was a Poor Clare and she used to send my little pamphlets when I was a girl, nearly 50 years ago! Is Sr. Innocentia trying to tell me something from heaven?  She was a very beautiful young woman who joined the Poor Clares at a young age.  This is my drawing of her.

I held the little pamphlet with a sense of awe and wonder. It is on “The Holy Name of Jesus.” The pamphlet says that we should say the words, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus” over and over throughout the day. If we say His Name with love and devotion, we obtain a showering of blessings. It says we should pray especially for the souls in purgatory for two reasons: 1) Out of love for those in need, and 2) because when those souls go to heaven and we are the ones in purgatory, they’ll be praying for us! (I never thought of it that way!)

The pamphlet is certainly a reminder to slow down and to call on heaven in times of temptation. I have found it harder to pray of late because of the chaos that seems to be swirling around our family. . .My son is being pulled in so many directions as he enters his Junior year in high school with obligations to this organization and that one. My daughter has switched from home school to a charter school and it is a big adjustment.  My life and work keeps shifting and changing. And through it all the devil uses every opportunity to interrupt prayer.

So the call to remember the Holy Name was important to me. I hope it will be important to you. Our country needs prayer. The souls in purgatory need prayer. Our children need prayer. Today let’s all offer to say 20 sets of this simple invocation for these special needs. “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus have mercy on us sinners.”

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello

Look into His Eyes Mom!

Colleen is from England. She was visiting our Church last week after stopping to see an old friend in New Mexico. She and her husband brought their friend to Church too. It took them 20 minutes to get her in and out of Church because the friend is severely handicapped. It was such a sweet action and it made me think, “This is what it means to be a part of the Body of Christ.”

I’ve been thinking about this as we gear up for a new year of religious formation.  Towards the beginning of the year, we show the children movies about staying safe and dealing with abuse. And every year I cringe. My own children have seen first the little kids’ Sesame-Street-like version, and then heart-pounding-older version of a young person being touched inappropriately by an uncle. They’ve seen these movies once a year for seven years.

I fear that the more children are exposed to the message that “there are adults in your own community and family you can’t trust,” the more they begin to generalize to “you can’t trust anyone.” And then when we tell them they can trust Jesus and you can talk to friends and other adults, that seems impossible.  I fear that the generalized message “don’t trust” comes through. If we think it’s not possible to trust humans, how can we imagine a trusting relationship with God?

Within the Body of Christ, can’t we convey what needs to be conveyed in a different way? As I visited with Colleen, while she and her husband were loading the special wheelchair into the van, she told me another story about how the Body of Christ works. She was a catechist at one church and then moved away. When she returned for a visit, she saw a former student and then later she saw his mother. Colleen asked, “Is your son OK?” The mother responded that he came home from school every day and ran to his room. But “he’s fine.” Then Colleen said, “Something’s wrong. You need to look into his eyes Mom and you’ll see it.”

That night the mother went home and said, “I saw Colleen and she’s worried about you.” The teenager looked up and Mom could see the trouble there. The boy broke into tears and reported that he was doing drugs and couldn’t seem to control what was happening.
When adults look out for others within the community, that is being a part of the Body of Christ. When we notice that someone is missing from Church, that is being a part of the Body of Christ. When we pray fervently and fast on behalf of others, that is being a part of the Body of Christ. When we educate each other, with compassion, when we start up new programs for adult study and prayer, that is being a part of the Body of Christ.

But when we show movies that convey the message that there are monsters lurking even at Church, we are buying into the message of the culture.  I asked my teenage son what he thinks about these movies. He’s in Confirmation now and they don’t watch the movies but they are required to sit through a presentation that talks about the sex abuse scandal and safety issues. He says, “Honestly, kids just try to ignore the whole thing. But I think the Church is bowing to the world and doing it the way the rest of society does with scare tactics. It should be different.”

The movies and talks are built on the premise that if you give kids knowledge and options they’ll know how to respond. But I think, in a scary situation, knowledge goes out the window.  What kids really need is this: faith (which comes from God through the Church), prayer (which they can learn) and love within a community of believers who care about them (and that is the model Colleen demonstrated so well).

Love conquers fear. Families must be strengthened.  I pray that the Holy Family will guide us in building new models for building up the Body of Christ.

Here are some things I would prefer to do at the beginning of the Catechism year:

• Ask the Church community to pray for the students.
• Pair up adults in the Church with students who they will pray for and write letters of support and inspiration.
• Teach kids about prayer and tell them stories about the wonder of God’s love.
• Offer special prayer and instruction time for parents.
• Have prayer vigils for a strengthening of the priesthood and strengthening of families.
• Ask members of the parish to take note of people who aren’t there at Church and ask them to take the initiative to call and find out, “How are you?”

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello

Jesus Falls the First Time by Judith Costello

Sadly, there have been funerals recently in our parish. Throughout the funeral services, as I helped with setting up the Church, I kept reflecting on the power of a funeral Mass. And that led to further thoughts on the importance of our sacramentals.

In many Protestant churches, they no longer have funerals…instead, there is a private burial service, and a month or so after the death, they have a memorial celebration to honor the person who has died. But, after going to both memorial services and funerals, I realize this: although honoring and celebrating the life of those who have died is important, a Catholic funeral service is monumentally more important. We are offered a powerful blessing.

The imagery is important: the casket is draped in white to remind us of the purity that was given to us at baptism. The casket sits in front of the Church during the Eucharist to remind us that we are joining together for this last holy meal, and the deceased is now receiving our Lord in a different way.

The funeral is an opportunity to cry together and to be strengthened in faith.  Immediately after a death, we crave reassurance….to know that this stillness is not the end. There is life eternal in a place of bliss! Beauty, Love and Immortality are the gifts that come only after death.

When we join together to reassure each other, when we walk through the reality of Christ’s suffering and resurrection in the Liturgy, and when we receive the grace of the Eucharistic sacrament, our grief can be transformed.

I was stuck too, when the casket was closed and a family member cried out…it’s the moment of recognition that we won’t see that person again on earth. That’s when we treasure our photos and our videos. We don’t want to lose the memory of our loved ones. We hold close those images because our humanness is sensory—we want to see that person again.

It is sad that other Christians don’t have the Sacraments and sacramentals. The experience of these funerals has made me look again at the statues and paintings of Jesus, Mary and the saints. The medals, scapulars and rosaries…are sensory. They help us connect in a physical way to the very real world beyond this world.

What is not able to be seen and touched in the physical world, can be approached through our sacramentals, our sacraments and our prayers. Then the world of eternity opens before us. We know that our faithful loved ones who have died, are united with Jesus and Mary in heaven or in purgatory. Thus, when we touch our sacramentals, we are touching them! There is comfort in that. There is beauty.

And I am grateful for our Church.

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello

Girls, especially those from good Christian homes, often confuse compassion and charity with the love of marital partners. We need to make clear the difference. Girls listen up: Coming across a fellow who needs help to be a decent person but who appeals to lust, is NOT going to make a good life partner. He is not marriage material…period. Why? Because he is not someone who will join you in lifting each other up to God. This joining in love is what is necessary for raising children and for staying married.

If a fellow says he “needs” you, and if he comes on strong physically, a fog seems to obscure the vision of young women. We want to be needed. It’s built into us. But being needed is not marital love.

I was raised to be kind and “loving” and a Good Samaritan so I understand how these issues get confusing. We need to teach our girls that there are different kinds of love. If you’ve rescued someone in desperate need by offering some kind of care, you “take them to the Inn.” You offer comfort. But you don’t marry them or allow them to tempt you to sin!

Marital love is not charity, although it is charitable. Compassion and charity are the love we offer in service to the needy. We pray for others who are troubled; we guide the needy to social service providers, we offer a meal…We are called to do the works of mercy. But if, in any way, the recipient of charity tries to manipulate that compassion, it’s time to bow out. Get away.

True marital love is not true lust. Lust is when our hormones take over. And lust is what destroys souls because it lives outside of commitment. It’s a mold that grows in darkness. In the healthy light of Christ our Savior, temptations to lustful self-serving pleasures wither away.

Love between spouses is first of all a commitment and a concern for the other person—body and soul. Both partners should offer this love not in a 50/50 equation…but a 100/100 equation! Both give completely, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

My wonderful husband, Jurgen, used to rush to the store for medicine at 11 pm if I had a headache. He also coaxed me to laugh and pray when everything seemed deadly serious. But he can’t always be the one giving care. Love is a partnership…mutual concern for the other. Now it’s his turn when he is sick and requiring my help.

Difficulties and hardships will always come up in relationships. That’s why each of us needs a partner who will be the one we can count on when the going is rough.

It’s hard to be a teenager today–to resist the many temptations and the confusing arena of love, sex and marriage.  But we have good tools. With self-control, prayer and regular Confession things don’t have to be so hard. These three things are the tools that help clear away the fog so that we can become truly loving people.

Sometimes we forget that our bodies are really tabernacles for Jesus. We want them to be pure, beautiful and clean to honor our Savior. But they do get dirtied by sin. Fortunately, we have the opportunity, through the wonderful sacrament of Confession, to wipe our tabernacles clean again.

“…be self-controlled and chaste….For the grace of God has appeared, saving all, and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hop– the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ.” –Titus 2:5, 11 – 13

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello 

Over the years, there have been students in my First Communion classes, who have not spent much time attending Mass. More and more families seem to have reasons why going to Mass doesn’t fit into their weekend schedules. “It’s our only time off. We run errands on Sunday. Our kids have sporting events. We are just too busy.”

Although receiving the Eucharist for the first time, is recognized as valuable…for a few children that first reception of Our Lord may be a unique event in their lives.

This is very sad.  I imagine the Blessed Mother weeping as I write these words.

Jesus gave us the sacrament of the Eucharist and said, “Do this in memory of me.” God had already given us the Law—“Keep the Sabbath holy (and we do this by coming together to worship Him.)”  Over the centuries the Church identified five things called “precepts” that are the basic minimum for our spiritual health—that means we should make every effort to do more than this!

Attending weekly Mass tops that list. The health of our souls depends on a commitment to Mass, in the same way that the health of our bodies depends on diet and exercise.

There are many reasons why every person should go to Mass every week, (and attend weekday Masses when that is possible):

1. Weekly attendance at Mass is one of the “Precepts of the Church.” Skipping Mass, for no valid reason, is a sin. And sin is an act that separates us from God.

2. In order to know God more fully, we need to listen to His Word on a regular basis. At Mass we have the opportunity to grow closer to Him through Scripture and through reception of the Body and Blood of Jesus. If we attended weekend and daily Masses, we would hear the entire Bible read every three years!

3. We already know the value of discipline and practice for becoming good at a sport, or in learning any new skill. The same is true for developing a relationship with Our Savior. We need the discipline of weekly attendance. We bring Him close to us by regular participation in the Mass.

4. God works in mysterious ways. But He most certainly blesses those who put forth effort to develop their spiritual lives through regular prayer and participation in the sacraments.  Many of the saints were so profoundly moved by participation in the Eucharist that they lifted off the ground! Such occurrences may not happen everyday, but God blesses the effort we put forth in our spiritual lives.

5. Our children need to know what is truly important in life. “Where your heart is, there your treasure lies.”  There is no earthly treasure that can compare with the bountiful love of Jesus! How can we put other things before Him?

6. We come together as a community at Mass. Together we make up the Body of Christ. So when some members of the Body are missing, the whole community suffers in a subtle way. We need each other!

7. Jesus is the “bread of life” who sustains us and gives us peace when we are anxious. He gives us courage when we are afraid. He gives us hope when we feel hopeless. The best time to receive these gifts is at Mass.

Understanding the five Precepts of the Church can help us grow spiritually.

The Precepts of the Church

These Precepts are the “positive laws decreed by pastoral authorities” for all Catholics. They are the “necessary minimum” requirements in the moral life and are needed to help us grow in love of God and neighbor. (To read more see the Catechism CCC #2041.)

The Precepts are these.
1. Attend Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation and rest from (servile) labor on Sundays.
The Holy Days are: Jan. 1, “Mother of God”; 40 days after Easter “Ascension of Jesus”;  Aug. 15 “Assumption of Mary”;  Nov. 1 “All Saints Day”; Dec. 8 “Immaculate Conception”;  Dec. 25 “Christmas.”

2. Go to Confession at least once a year.

3. Receive Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.

4. Observe the days of fasting and abstinence.

5. Help to provide for the needs of the Church.

Our daily lives are busy with family, work and obligations. But these basic spiritual requirements can be viewed as a healthy antidote to the craziness of the world. The sacraments give us the opportunity to stop the chaos and rest in the love and mercy of Our Lord!

Copyright 2012 Judith Costello