{"id":9811,"date":"2023-11-14T08:32:43","date_gmt":"2023-11-14T13:32:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/?p=9811"},"modified":"2023-11-18T19:10:51","modified_gmt":"2023-11-19T00:10:51","slug":"whats-it-going-to-take-for-people-to-realize-the-state-of-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.renewaloffaith.org\/blog\/whats-it-going-to-take-for-people-to-realize-the-state-of-things\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s It Going to Take for People to Realize the State of Things?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I hope I am not sounding like a broken record that keeps repeating itself.\u00a0 Last week I wrote, \u201cWhat\u2019s It Going to Take to End the Violence.\u201d<\/a>\u00a0 There I said the answer laid in tears that came from the depths of our hearts.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my Sunday homily this week<\/a>, I spoke about current events that fulfill what Jesus said in Matthew 24:3-14<\/a> would happen before his return in the Second Coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, today\u2019s question, \u201cWhat\u2019s it going to take for people to realize the state of things,\u201d may not seem that different.\u00a0 Comparing it to last week\u2019s question, realizing the state of things is what can lead us to tears that come from the depths of our hearts.\u00a0 Referring to my Sunday homily this week<\/a>, recognizing that the Second Coming could happen at any moment should lead us to realize that time is of the essence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the state of things in the world?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some say things are wonderful because people have more freedoms than ever before.\u00a0 The problem is what are we doing with those freedoms.\u00a0 As St. Pope John Paul II said, \u201cEvery generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought\u201d (\u201cHomily of his holiness John Paul II\u201d during his Apostolic Journey to America. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore. October 8, 1995. https:\/\/www.vatican.va\/content\/john-paulii\/en\/homilies\/1995\/documents\/hf_jp-ii_hom_19951008_baltimore.html<\/a>. 7.).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are we doing good things with our freedoms?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To answer this question, we must pray that we see the broader picture.\u00a0 We must pray that we see the world not just from our limited human perspective.\u00a0 We must pray that we see the world as God sees it (see 1 Samuel 16:7<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at secular affairs, it seems some think the ends justify the means.  They see a good end and think they can do whatever it takes to achieve that \u201cgood\u201d end.  For instance, Israel is now bombing hospitals in Gaza with the \u201cgood end\u201d of ending the violence done by Hamas as its goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Has Hamas committed horrible attacks of violence?  Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, that does not give Israel free rein in their response (see the sixth criteria for just war at http:\/\/www.renewaloffaith.org\/just-war-theory.html<\/a>).\u00a0 We are talking about hospitals.\u00a0 Israel says Hamas is hiding in\/under the hospitals.\u00a0 So what?<\/u><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 How many innocent people are dying in these attacks?\u00a0 I have not seen numbers but I wonder if more innocent people are suffering from these attacks than Hamas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us pray for the leadership of Israel and Hamas to make wiser decisions.<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When candidates run for secular elections, the main method of campaigning seems to be to point out how bad the other candidate is.  Won\u2019t it be much better if they told us their positions and <\/em><\/strong>their position is better.  What good is gained by negative campaigning?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us pray for all those running for political office, to end the negative campaigning in favor of stating the good of their own positions.<\/u><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, political maneuvering is becoming more common in our Catholic Church.\u00a0 I see this in the German synod (see Catholic News Agency\u2019s articles on this at https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/results?q=german+synod#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=german%20synod&gsc.page=1<\/a>).\u00a0 There is political batter from Germany claiming the Catholic Church needs to catch up with the world while conservative Catholics write against the German synod.\u00a0 Where is the truth in this?\u00a0 For those who think the Catholic Church needs to catch up with the world, I do not hear arguments on how what they say is in continuity with the Bible or subsequent teaching of the Church.\u00a0 I do not hear sound arguments on how what they say comes from God.\u00a0 In saying the Church needs to catch up with the world, it can seem like they are putting the world before God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s it going to take for people to realize the state of things? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need to get back to our foundation, Jesus Christ<\/u><\/em><\/strong>.  It is only upon this foundation that our Catholic Church will stand forever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We need Jesus Christ as our cornerstone.\u00a0 We must not pull our cornerstone out by breaking with what God has taught for ages.\u00a0 Jesus identifies himself as the cornerstone in Matthew 21:42<\/a> (cf. Mark 12:10<\/a>, Luke 20:17<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those who value \u201cfreedom\u201d above all else and embrace relativism, is there any foundation?  Relativism says there is no universal truth.  If there is no universal truth, I don\u2019t see how there can be any foundation.  Is \u201cfreedom\u201d their foundation?  How can one build a future based on freedom alone?  Won\u2019t people always be at odds with one another?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are seeing the fulfillment of what Paul wrote to Timothy, \u201cFor the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths.\u00a0 But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry<\/em>\u201d (2 Timothy 4:3-5<\/a>).\u00a0 We need to hold fast to what Jesus taught.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jesus said, \u2018Jesus then said to those Jews who believed in him, \u201cIf you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,\u00a0and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.\u201d\u2019<\/em> (John 8:31-32<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the beginning of this article, I hope I do not sound like a broken record, merely repeating what I have written in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us pray that we and all in our Catholic Church seek God\u2019s Truth and to do his Will in all things<\/span>, always remaining in his Word.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I hope I am not sounding like a broken record that keeps repeating itself.\u00a0 Last week I wrote, \u201cWhat\u2019s It Going to Take to End the Violence.\u201d\u00a0 There I said the answer laid in tears that came from the depths of our hearts.\u00a0 In my Sunday homily this week, I spoke about current events that …<\/p>\n

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