Gabriel Garnica
For better or for worse, Catholics will be messengers
By Gabriel Garnica
Regardless of the pathetic cries of atheists, this nation is deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian tradition, as even the most cursory review of historical fact can affirm. However, despite that tradition, we are sinking deeper and deeper into a quicksand of secularism, atheism, materialism, socialism, and just about every — ism that rejects, mocks, and even persecutes the very Judeo-Christian ideals on which this nation was built. A nation that once openly, proudly, passionately, and fervently declared its allegiance and debt to God Almighty now divides its time between sheepishly admitting some diluted acquiescence to the Creator, twisting its own rationalized and subjective facsimile of faith, or mocking and threatening anyone who dares proclaim Our Lord as their sole measure of morality and ethics.
A country which once stood for new opportunities and a better life now stands for distorted agendas and a culture of death. Proponents of abortion are honored and celebrated by being given the time of day even as they deny the most innocent the light of that day. A nation which once stood for family and tradition now stands for twisted aberrations of those values which are celebrated as enlightened and progressive movements even as these very same efforts drag this once great nation toward the very fate that eventually seems to befall every power that intoxicates itself in its own feeble grasp on relevance.
Although the above slide toward moral and ethical oblivion is bad enough, that precipitous fall is made all the worse by the identity of those who are at the very wheel of this ill-fated vessel. Sadly, we see so-called Catholics maneuvering this national Titanic toward every iceberg they can find by their direct promotion or indirect apathy regarding this moral disaster. Whether it be the Catholic leadership's own betrayal of Catholic teaching under the guise of social justice or the laity's subjective, buffet-style brand of Catholicism, Catholics are folding like cheap suits from their moral duty to make a positive difference in society.
That duty, as directed by Christ Himself, is be messengers who change society by introducing Christ's Word and God's Will into that society. We are called to bring Christ to society much as a priest brings The Real Presence of Christ to a recipient of Communion. In other words, it is our call as Catholics to introduce Christ daily to a society hungry for direction. However, as Professor Robert George of Princeton has so aptly and eloquently pointed out, Catholics are certainly messengers, but they are going in the wrong direction. Instead of injecting society with Christ, we are increasingly attempting to inject Christ with this society by bringing its distortions, rationalizations, twisted agendas, and moral hypocrisy brimming with lies into our faith.
Every time a so-called Catholic pretends that moving away from Catholic tradition is "progressive" or "modern" thinking, that Catholic denies Christ. Every time a so-called Catholic pretends that abortion, euthanasia, or twisted family values are branches of social justice and charity, that Catholic denies Christ. Our Lord told us to love the sinner, but to reject the sin. He reminded us to reach out to the desperate, the confused, the isolated, the marginalized, and the victimized, but to do so without rationalizing or accepting their actions. Most so-called Catholic universities today are nothing more than institutes of a twisted social justice preaching a blind love that loves the sinner and rationalizes his or her sin. These institutions would have Christ tell the adulterous woman to use a condom next time, praise the abortionist who feeds the poor, and define marriage and family in more ways than there are stars in the sky.
Whether we accept it or not, Catholics and Christians in general will be messengers of something to someone. We can be messengers of Christ to a world and society increasingly devoid of Christ, or we can be messengers of that twisted society to a Christ Who increasingly stands for just the opposite of what this society values. As Professor George has pointed out, the very fate of our nation rests in which direction we will serve as messengers.
© Gabriel Garnica
July 6, 2011
Regardless of the pathetic cries of atheists, this nation is deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian tradition, as even the most cursory review of historical fact can affirm. However, despite that tradition, we are sinking deeper and deeper into a quicksand of secularism, atheism, materialism, socialism, and just about every — ism that rejects, mocks, and even persecutes the very Judeo-Christian ideals on which this nation was built. A nation that once openly, proudly, passionately, and fervently declared its allegiance and debt to God Almighty now divides its time between sheepishly admitting some diluted acquiescence to the Creator, twisting its own rationalized and subjective facsimile of faith, or mocking and threatening anyone who dares proclaim Our Lord as their sole measure of morality and ethics.
A country which once stood for new opportunities and a better life now stands for distorted agendas and a culture of death. Proponents of abortion are honored and celebrated by being given the time of day even as they deny the most innocent the light of that day. A nation which once stood for family and tradition now stands for twisted aberrations of those values which are celebrated as enlightened and progressive movements even as these very same efforts drag this once great nation toward the very fate that eventually seems to befall every power that intoxicates itself in its own feeble grasp on relevance.
Although the above slide toward moral and ethical oblivion is bad enough, that precipitous fall is made all the worse by the identity of those who are at the very wheel of this ill-fated vessel. Sadly, we see so-called Catholics maneuvering this national Titanic toward every iceberg they can find by their direct promotion or indirect apathy regarding this moral disaster. Whether it be the Catholic leadership's own betrayal of Catholic teaching under the guise of social justice or the laity's subjective, buffet-style brand of Catholicism, Catholics are folding like cheap suits from their moral duty to make a positive difference in society.
That duty, as directed by Christ Himself, is be messengers who change society by introducing Christ's Word and God's Will into that society. We are called to bring Christ to society much as a priest brings The Real Presence of Christ to a recipient of Communion. In other words, it is our call as Catholics to introduce Christ daily to a society hungry for direction. However, as Professor Robert George of Princeton has so aptly and eloquently pointed out, Catholics are certainly messengers, but they are going in the wrong direction. Instead of injecting society with Christ, we are increasingly attempting to inject Christ with this society by bringing its distortions, rationalizations, twisted agendas, and moral hypocrisy brimming with lies into our faith.
Every time a so-called Catholic pretends that moving away from Catholic tradition is "progressive" or "modern" thinking, that Catholic denies Christ. Every time a so-called Catholic pretends that abortion, euthanasia, or twisted family values are branches of social justice and charity, that Catholic denies Christ. Our Lord told us to love the sinner, but to reject the sin. He reminded us to reach out to the desperate, the confused, the isolated, the marginalized, and the victimized, but to do so without rationalizing or accepting their actions. Most so-called Catholic universities today are nothing more than institutes of a twisted social justice preaching a blind love that loves the sinner and rationalizes his or her sin. These institutions would have Christ tell the adulterous woman to use a condom next time, praise the abortionist who feeds the poor, and define marriage and family in more ways than there are stars in the sky.
Whether we accept it or not, Catholics and Christians in general will be messengers of something to someone. We can be messengers of Christ to a world and society increasingly devoid of Christ, or we can be messengers of that twisted society to a Christ Who increasingly stands for just the opposite of what this society values. As Professor George has pointed out, the very fate of our nation rests in which direction we will serve as messengers.
© Gabriel Garnica
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