Our society, and the need for prayer...

Our society--I have ceased referring to it as a culture, as that has too many positive connotations--has largely descended into secular hedonism. Every day there is some new story about people wanting polyamory, lowering of the age of consent, and even bestiality, to be considered normal expressions of human desire.

The human desire for sex,  however, is one created for procreation. For the preservation of the human race, and for the creation of families. With the sole exception of the age of consent, none of the issues at question is genitive. Homosexuality begets no progeny, nor does bestiality.

We Catholics must recognize that the world around us has largely elected to embrace, even to celebrate, sin. The only rational response we may make is to strengthen and deepen our prayer lives.

We have endless resources in pursuit of this goal:

• Pray the Rosary, at least daily.
• Pray the morning offering.
• Pray the Divine Office. Yes, it takes a good deal of time. You have more important things to do?
• Make the Confiteor a daily prayer. I tend to use the older, longer version, which is in the Baltimore Catechism.
• Pray whenever the least thought of prayer enters your mind. 

Formal prayer is excellent. But remember St. Francis said "Pray always, and if necessary, use words." Make your work, whatever it may be, an expression of prayer. This means recognizing that in doing the best you are able, you give witness to your faith through your work, offering it up to God.

Pray for your family, Pray with your family. Never miss Sunday Mass, but find your way to daily Mass, too, when you can do so. Make your confession regularly, so you may receive the Eucharist in a state of grace, as is required.

Keep the Friday penance. Abstinence and fasting were never rescinded, contrary to what many believe. It is a small thing to do without meat on Friday, yet a thing which reminds us of who we are, and reminds us that sacrifices are a part of our faith.

Our society is deeply sinful. We cannot fix it, other than by first doing all we can to fix ourselves. Increase your prayer, and it will increase your piety. Increased piety is a barrier to sin. We need our weapons, such as the Rosary, and our shields, which are the many prayers we offer.

May God have mercy on us, and on the whole world.

Long Time Gone...

Yes, it has been over two years since I posted here. Times change, and so do we all.

Pope Francis is no longer new, and remains a puzzle. On the one hand, he confesses he is not good at off the cuff remarks, and on the other, he continues to make such off the cuff remarks to the media, who true to their fashion, twist and spin to their hearts' content.

Although Pope Francis has changed nothing of doctrine, there are still some who believe he has changed the Church, brought it into the 21st century. By which they mean, of course, the suspension of any sense of morals or right and wrong. No. Francis has done nothing of the sort.

It is curious that our pope offers up such delicious sound bites. If you check any of them in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, you will find that what he has done is to take a small piece of a larger statement, and offer it up. He leaves out the hard parts, and presents only the fluffy bits, letting the media get all those warm and fuzzy feelings.

It seems to me a pity that in presenting these sound bites, Pope Francis gives up the use of his platform for teaching essential truths. But then, in this age of secular hedonism, perhaps such an opportunity is merely illusory.