Take A Stand

"The wicked flee when no one is pursuing, but the upright are as bold as lions."

Proverbs 28:1

Do we remember how to be bold? To be men of courage? To take a stand?

I'm not so sure.

I am a man of cowardice. My fears are many; my weaknesses, plentiful. Vice and inconsistency are my happy bedfellows, and worldly things have far greater sway over me than I care to admit. In most areas of my life, I fall much shorter than I wish, trusting in my own power, strength, and wisdom to carry me to my lofty goal.

Why don't we stand in the boldness Our Lord offers us? The Saints and martyrs throughout history spoke with the words of angels; they spoke of Christ unto their deaths. Yet many of us fear even to go offer a stranger a mere, "how are you?". Droves of Christians gave up all wealth, status, and state of well-being, in order to give all they could, yet we don't have a dollar to spare for a man ravaged by poverty. We seek our own self-pleasure, and use a disordered idea of "meekness" to hide our own greed and apathy.

Catholicism is not moderate; Christ was not a man of many words, and little action. We follow not a "middle way"; we blaze a narrow trail, in the footsteps of a King.

My life, and yours, must be Christ. Not "centered around", nor "about". Christ must be all. In every action you do; in every word you say. It is not about ourselves, our families, our jobs, or our hobbies. Christ must be inseparable from every thing in your life.

He is our joy, our hope, our love. He is all-consuming. He is ever-lasting. He is the source of all that is good.

He is Life itself.

Thankfully, though, I am not the benchmark for Catholicism. I am a dying breed.

Young seminarians, and Priests, eager and able to cast out the demons of the "spirit of Vatican II". Courageous men: Priests forever in the order of Melchizedek. Extolling and LIVING the virtues of piety, faith, and obedience. Pray for these men, that God will grant them the depth of faith and understanding necessary for their unbelievably important work. 

New, ever more faithful religious, serving God and their communities with deep, true, and burning compassion, and humility unseen by society. Fervor that threatens to set the whole world ablaze in a conflagration of unshakable love for the unloved.

A new generation of laity, fighting against the injustice of abortion. Informed, intelligent, organized. Acting without fear of being despised, calumniated, or crucified for truth and justice.

I urge you, brothers and sisters in Christ. Stand for God. Stand for His Church. Be bold in your faith. Bold in the Truth. Live for Him... and if it is your calling, die for Him as well.

-Gabriel

 "There is no place for selfishness-and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice"

- Pope John Paul II

[Author's note: This post has been the works for a long while and sat on the backburner while I was working on a few other projects. Forgive it's datedness]