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Ordinary Time, Week 8
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Sunday June 1, 2008
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| Readings | http://www.usccb.org/nab/nabpodcast.shtml | |
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About Us
We are fellow Catholics, concerned as you are by the pathetic state and pratice of Our Faith. It is becoming increasingly obvious that, we, Catholics must refocus ourselves to the tenets of our faith and live by example and consistent practice of the worship of God. We have to enkindle the fire and love that consumed the saints of yesteryears. The persistent despair and ennui that seem to have replaced the hope and joy that characterized Catholics through the ages as they lived their faith in the middle of the world in ordinary lives must be sought, learned again, and ingrained in our day to day lives. It is evident that our faith is being eroded fast by vices unseen before and inconsistent with the teachings of the Church of Christ. The Catholic Church was a safe haven, a way of life, that gave rise to Western civilization, a custodian of morals and a promoter of peace and freedom. Today, it is being corrupted by issues and practices that are irrelevant and inimical to the worship of God. Catholics are down trodden, abused, vilified, demoralized even demonised. Our once estemeed institutions are being turned into markets, bingo halls or sold out right to other denominations and our parishes and schools closed due to lack of the faithful and enroachment with impunity by opportunists. And we just let it happen.
Our shepherds, though they have not abandoned us, need the support and prayers of their flocks, that Our Father in heaven, may give them the courage and grace of their vocations to save souls and not be part of the problem. We have to support our pastors in their loneliness at this time when they need us so much. We cannot fail to understand human weakness and condemn all and sundry. Our prayers must plead with the Sacred Heart of Christ for direction and inspiration. We must pray that He will bless them with courage and strength to lead the people of God to salvation. Above everything else, we must have courage and sincerity. Our hope and prayers are to invite men, women and youth, all of us Catholics, of good will to participate in collective efforts to revitalize our faith through prayer, dialogue, education, and apostolate of good example, communication and love of one another. We are urging one another to face the truth of our faith. We must shoulder the Cross of Christ if we are to be saved. We are inviting you to join us through your heartfelt and honest contributions in issues we hope you and us will deem of urgent neccessity that concern our faith. "A brother supported by a brother is a fortress". We must support and pray with one heart.
Many Catholics are concerned and confused by many things. One only needs to look around in our churches, talk to other Catholics, or read what the media is reporting to see the obvious. The problems are deeply rooted, widely dispersed, and seemingly promoted by our failure to correct one another as the scriptures and the church teaches us. Can we really call ourselves brethren if we are reluctant to correct and teach one another? Can we stand by while our brother goes hungry?"Lord, when did I see you hungry and...., when did I see you naked...and when were you thirsty and...?" You know the answers to these questions. When you ignored your brother. When you failed your mother, father,sister or your child or your neighbour, you failed the Lord. What has lead to a faith that knows no brethren? What has lead us to a faith with no warmth, a faith of blindly following stictured social norms in place of prayer and piety? A faith of meaningless routines without reflection, personal prayer and worship? What happened to the fear of sin? That is not the Catholic way. That is not our faith. We hope to bring to your thoughts, prayers and reflections issues and problems of concern such as immodest behavior, decorum and dress, support of and for the church, misuse of church properties, imprudent and usurious use of church finances, activities that are injurious to the morals of our youth, marital discord, receiving of the sacraments, unsavory conduct by the clergy and laity, and other issues which confuses us by virtue of their disparity in different parts of the country.If you believe in God, it's inevitable that you will ask yourself why He created you. In the ten commandments handed down to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, God commands that humanity will not worship other gods but Him. This is becoming fastly a reality. God seems to have been replaced by money, the stomach and sex. Humanity seems unconcerned by the solemnity of the covenant, through indolence,material worship, habitual sins and frighteningly, a determined denial of the existence of God. "Christians" have obliterated God from Earth.