As I write this piece I would like to first explain that often before I write I receive a rush into my mind and heart that overcomes me with words and a topic to write about. I have no doubt this comes from the Holy Spirit and I am blessed and thankful for recognizing it. Discernment like this takes a lifetime of training and is ongoing and never ends and comes through constant prayer, reflection, meditation and contemplation – simply being – and most especially in front of and in the presence of the most blessed sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration and make no mistake that evil can rush upon you or me at any time so we must train ourselves to continually live in this peaceful Spirit of God and know if at the time of any rush upon you or me we are not experiencing peace then it’s not from the Holy Spirit of God.
The signs of our times distresses and grieves me. Why? Look around. Look up for that matter in the sky and witness and give thanks for all that The Lord God of all creation has done for us and has given to us.
Why do I grieve for our times? I grieve for our times because so many are easily led astray.
The reason so many are led astray is because of what I call “The Good Person Syndrome”.
Let me provide some examples:
I am a good person so I don’t need to go to confession.
I can confess my sins directly to God. I am a good person.
The priest is a man like me who also sins why should I tell him my sins. I am a good person.
I try in school but I don’t understand this so I will cheat a little, otherwise I am a good person.
I need to make this sale so I will lie a little , otherwise I am a good person.
This patient of mine will never give up asking me for this Rx she doesn’t need so I will give it to her to get her away from me, otherwise I am a good doctor and person.
This client of mine is guilty but I am making good money on this case, otherwise I am a good person and good lawyer.
I did everything I could in my sacramental marriage but was not happy. I deserve happiness, I am a good person.
I don’t need nullity of my marriage to date someone else. I like this person and he/she likes me. We are both good people.
I love my spouse so there is no sin with us using artificial contraception, you see we want to have children but we want to make sure we have them when we want to have them. We are good people.
I love this person and he/she loves me so we can have sex outside of marriage. We are good people.
I am not ready to have this baby so my only choice is abortion. Otherwise I am a good person.
I don’t need to go to mass or church on Sunday I can talk directly to God and worship God in my own way and I am a good person.
I pay enough in taxes already so I need to fudge some numbers, otherwise I am a good person.
He/She will never know so I don’t need to be honest, otherwise I am a good person.
This feels good and I am a good person.
I can do whatever I want. I am a good person.
Okay, I could go on and on. I hope by now you get the picture.
We can manipulate ourselves and justify our actions as we go along to suit or appease our conscience, a conscience by the way that is not properly formed if we give in to any of the events of our life that I mention above. The devil or satan or lucifer or demons or whatever term you use to describe darkness, chaos, the wrong way or missing the mark which is what sin is this is what happens to us and we may not know or choose not to know and it can be very subtle so we ignore the bad or the evil and call it good.
All of this takes us further away from God and does not bring us closer to our Lord, so make no mistake about this.
Let me add that I have given in to at least some of the scenarios I mention above and I am a work in progress continually forming my own conscience through Scripture, Tradition, The Cathechism of The Catholic Church and Spiritual direction from trusted and proven people, especially the ordained priest.
You can reject all or part of what I read above and be what is known as a cafeteria catholic or no catholic at all.
The choice is yours and you have God given free will.
So here is the correct and truthful way to move toward our Lord if you so desire it and I recommend you pray our Lord to increase your desire to do it. Move closer to His Sacred Heart.
Christ is The Church and Grace is everything and everywhere. You and I simply need to seek it in truth and cooperate with it and we can’t go it alone! Christ is the head of the church, you and I are the body. This body includes clergy and laity working together. I encourage you to search and read Lumen Gentium, which is a document from Vatican II and go directly to Chapters 4 and 5 which are titled – the role of the laity – and – the universal call to holiness – which comprise together only 10 pages.
St. Iraneus, who was an early church father stated – The Glory of God is man fully alive!
Man becomes fully alive when we embrace and strive for holiness or perfection. Our Lord Jesus tells us this in the Gospels and Our first Pope St. Peter tells us in Scripture to be holy as our Lord is holy. This means perfection and that is what we are called to become. Again, I remind you that you can’t go it alone and the steps needed are frequent reception of the Sacraments, Scripture reading daily, Eucharistic Adoration, Prayer, Spiritual direction and a trusted band of brothers in the faith for men and sisters in the faith for women.
Together we can break the good person syndrome and be more, be all that God has created us to be, be ye perfect as your heavenly Father in heaven is perfect.
Pray this prayer – Lord God of all creation, my Father, help me break the bonds of the lie that I only have to be a good person which I am not sure what that even really means and help me walk the correct and true way to you, to your Sacred Heart, when I stumble, pick me up through your Sacraments, stay with me and I know you will never leave my side so please hold onto me so I never leave your side and so I never stop holding onto you. I want to live in truth. Increase my faith, hope, charity, justice, prudence, temperance and fortitude. Help me to never give up and always be truthful with and to myself and others. Help me to love like you loved with great passion and compassion in truth always and to never judge in a way that brings despondence nor despair but only hope and salvation to and for others and me. I ask this in Jesus’ name and by the power of The holy Spirit. Amen!!!!
Jesus, Mary, Joseph we love you, save souls!
The mission of the Church is for the salvation of souls! We cannot save ourselves.
Truth is a person. That person is Jesus The Christ!!!! Only Jesus is the way to eternal salvation.
I am praying for you daily. Please pray for me!!!!
Ave Maria…Pater Noster…Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto, Sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in saecula saeculorum. Amen.
Charles DeFeo: Catholic Blogger and Useless Servant of Christ 