Time to undergo some changes! For those of you who still follow this blog, I am going to be archiving some old articles and adding tags for others in the next week or two. Bear with me!
-Gabriel
Edit: That took all of twenty minutes.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Why I Love Jesus, but Hate Heresy
What if I told you, Jesus came to abolish religion?
...well I wouldn't, because that would be stupid.
This little gem of "artistic" nonsense has been floating around the internet for a little over a week now, and as of now, has close to sixteen MILLION views. Turns out that in this generation, spreading your message of apostasy and fallacy is easier than ever. And what more? We have a liberalist, uneducated society ready to jump on what seems to be the easiest possible option! In our attempts to be more "accepting" and "all-inclusive" we lose ourselves in a world of convenience, and self-worship. Anything traditional is deemed immoral, idolatrous, or too old-fashioned to be relevant anymore. Proper piety is replaced by rock music, flashing lights, and the opinion that we shouldn't change ourselves and our lifestyles to suit Christ, because He loves us as we are. And He does!... but here is what is wrong with that attitude.
Now, I'm not going to get deeply theological here (I'll leave that to My friend, Gregory), but I will speak to the layman.
Imagine, if you will, that you are in a romantic relationship(Not so much of a stretch, given our Divine Romance). You know this young woman, and she loves you no matter what. That is how it is with Jesus. But what if you decided you don't need dates anymore? You decide to stop being romantic; to let your chivalry fall to pieces. You decide that you'll talk with her, when it suits you, but ignore her desires, the things she asks of you, and her opinions on all the important matters of life.
That sounds pretty terrible, doesn't it? That doesn't sound like a relationship at all... more like an abusive friendship, at best.
With God, we know exactly what He desires of us! He's taught us how He likes to be romanced, and pursued. He's revealed to us what pleases Him, and how we can best serve Him. Why on earth would you ever want to lose that?
Continue to romance God. Go on that date(Mass), bring Him flowers(Rosary), seek His thoughts on the things that matter in this life(Read the Scriptures). If you take away religion from Jesus, you've lost any spark your relationship had. You're trying to phone it in because of your own foolish pride. Your fear of looking like something that does not quite fit in this world, is holding you back from true communion with God. Seek Him... He's already told you how.
May the King of the King's continually open our eyes, that we would not be blinded by heresies that lead us astray. May we always, always seek the will of God in our lives. May we detest religion that suits our lifestyle, but live a lifestyle that is worthy of His Kingdom!
-Gabriel
P.S. In a relationship, it helps if you get to know their Mother.
Saturday, January 07, 2012
Here I Raise My Ebenezer
When we last spoke, I told the story of how my journey back to faith began. Years of wandering in my own personal wilderness had led me, tired, weary, and weeping to the doors of the Church. I needed change, I craved peace. I longed so much for true, pure love. In that moment I knew the old adage was true.
"You'll never truly say, 'Grace is all I need', until grace is all you have."
In that moment, grace was all I had. I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but I knew nothing else in my life mattered. I sat and praised God in all His glory, taking in the world from a perspective I had never seen before. My soul rejoiced and my heart was at peace for the first time in what seemed like eternity. I knew I had to change, and give up the sin in my life. Return to the fold of God and allow myself to do His Will in my life.
I went home, broke up with my long-distance girlfriend (another long story). I hopped on the internet and messaged one of my dearest friends, Gregory Watson. I told him to sign me up for that fall's RCIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_Christian_Initiation_of_Adults) program. I had studied the Catholic Church for a number of years, and knew that is where I would find God truly and literally present.
Greg delighted in my return to faith, and began to make plans for that coming fall.
Though newly excited by my faith, old habits died hard, and I allowed Satan to disrupt God's work in my. I after some failings and hard times in my life, I turned to the drink again, all culminating in me waking up on the floor after drinking most of a 40 of vodka in a few short hours. I had sufficiently snuffed out any work God was doing in life(or so I thought).
Many years back, David, Andrew, Greg and I went on an awesome, God-filled camping trip. I felt that this summer, we all had sufficient time off, and money to partake in the same again. Sadly, Dave couldn't make it, but the other three of us ventured north, and enjoyed some time together. After much driving, getting lost, and setting up camp in the dark, we settled into what would become one of the greatest weekends of my life.
A good deal of time was spent in fellowship: talking, cooking, swimming. Knowing he would be in no fit state to wake up the next morning for Mass, Greg looked up the Mass times(for Saturday evening) for the nearest Catholic Church, and directions on how to get there. He invited me along, and I decided to go with him.
For years, whenever I entered a place of God, I put up spiritual "Blinders" to stop any supernatural activity (in essence: to deaden the nerves of my soul). But as we entered that Church, I forgot, and by the time I had genuflected, and kneeled in the pew, I was in tears. I felt God so strongly within me. Greg wondered what was wrong, but quickly realized the wonder that was taking place.
The Gospel reading for that day was very appropriate:
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Since that moment, my life has truly turned around. As I journey further into the Catholic Church, I find such astounding joy, overabundant peace, and the serenity I longed for. My story doesn't end here, I think.
I think it is just beginning. :)
-Gabriel
"You'll never truly say, 'Grace is all I need', until grace is all you have."
In that moment, grace was all I had. I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but I knew nothing else in my life mattered. I sat and praised God in all His glory, taking in the world from a perspective I had never seen before. My soul rejoiced and my heart was at peace for the first time in what seemed like eternity. I knew I had to change, and give up the sin in my life. Return to the fold of God and allow myself to do His Will in my life.
I went home, broke up with my long-distance girlfriend (another long story). I hopped on the internet and messaged one of my dearest friends, Gregory Watson. I told him to sign me up for that fall's RCIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rite_of_Christian_Initiation_of_Adults) program. I had studied the Catholic Church for a number of years, and knew that is where I would find God truly and literally present.
Greg delighted in my return to faith, and began to make plans for that coming fall.
Though newly excited by my faith, old habits died hard, and I allowed Satan to disrupt God's work in my. I after some failings and hard times in my life, I turned to the drink again, all culminating in me waking up on the floor after drinking most of a 40 of vodka in a few short hours. I had sufficiently snuffed out any work God was doing in life(or so I thought).
Many years back, David, Andrew, Greg and I went on an awesome, God-filled camping trip. I felt that this summer, we all had sufficient time off, and money to partake in the same again. Sadly, Dave couldn't make it, but the other three of us ventured north, and enjoyed some time together. After much driving, getting lost, and setting up camp in the dark, we settled into what would become one of the greatest weekends of my life.
A good deal of time was spent in fellowship: talking, cooking, swimming. Knowing he would be in no fit state to wake up the next morning for Mass, Greg looked up the Mass times(for Saturday evening) for the nearest Catholic Church, and directions on how to get there. He invited me along, and I decided to go with him.
For years, whenever I entered a place of God, I put up spiritual "Blinders" to stop any supernatural activity (in essence: to deaden the nerves of my soul). But as we entered that Church, I forgot, and by the time I had genuflected, and kneeled in the pew, I was in tears. I felt God so strongly within me. Greg wondered what was wrong, but quickly realized the wonder that was taking place.
The Gospel reading for that day was very appropriate:
22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Since that moment, my life has truly turned around. As I journey further into the Catholic Church, I find such astounding joy, overabundant peace, and the serenity I longed for. My story doesn't end here, I think.
I think it is just beginning. :)
-Gabriel
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