It has been a long time since I wrote something. For me, it was a very intense time. Between online courses and counseling, I got lost in time. In the meantime, we had to say Goodbye to Pat. She left this world and went to the Lord.
I didn't stop to think about you. Sometimes, I had so much to say, but it was never a good time to share. So today, I am about to give you something to think about.
I do not know how many of you remember my sermon when I was talking about our holiness. I said that each one of us is called to be holly. Of course, it doesn't happen on our terms but according to the directions we receive from God. At that time, I didn't go any deeper into what it meant.
Recent events pushed me to meditate more about it. Maybe some of you know that bishop Strickland was removed from his diocese because of his conservative views and strong opinions. This gave me some thoughts to pay more attention to. I wonder why those who seem to be faithful to the teaching of the church are punished and persecuted, but at the same time, those who cause scandals and reject moral life are perfectly safe in the eyes of the Holy See. I was recently listening to a class about the early Church and the St. Atanasius. He was rejected and condemned by many Church officials because he believed that Jesus Christ was a true God. After many years, he was reinstituted to his previous position and became an example of faithfulness to the Church.
I thought about him and our modern Church. It seems that we reached the point when history repeats itself. We are encouraged to bless guy relationships but punished when faithful to the Church's teaching. Somehow, truth is not welcome, and the lies of this world have become valuable assets. Is this what the Church is about? To follow the lies of Satan? We bless sin and persecute faithfulness? Our time requires a lot of prayers and fasting for the Church and our Pope. Bishop Strickland asked his people to pray and be at peace. We should do the same: pray and be at peace. From my experience, this is the best way. The Church has faced horrible things in the past. There were bishops, priests, and laypeople who did a lot of evil. The Church overcame all those dark moments because she belongs to Christ. It is going to happen again. It is not a pope, not a bishop, not a priest, but the truth that sets us free.
Many of you are already giving up so much in this Lent. I want to ask all of you to offer this Lenten sacrifice for the Church of Jesus Christ and our Pope. Your prayers and fasting can help all of us to become more holly and faithful to our Savior Jesus Christ.