Aflame for Christ

The Rosary has been a powerful prayer for centuries, because it is a prayer that engages all of us - our lips with the words, our minds with the mysteries, our soul as we place ourselves in His presence. Hear how the Rosary saved an entire country's faith, and how we can utilize it to allow Christ, through Mary, to save our souls!

Just a quick glance at the headlines shows us that the world is pretty messed-up. But the problem isn't "out-there" - it resides deep within the human heart, as all of us struggle with evil as a result of Original Sin. Thus, to heal the world and bring peace and justice, we first must allow Christ to be our Savior and heal our souls, since only saints change the world!

What would you do if you were going to die in a year? Many of us would focus on those things that are truly important: not success and fame and pleasure, but love - our family, our friends, the Lord. To find out the meaning of life means to discover what we're willing to live and die for - and the only thing worth it all is the Lord and the everlasting life He has promised to us.

Christ calls us to forgive our enemies, but we must remember that we have first been forgiven for infinitely more - a debt that we could not repay has already been paid by Him Who first loved us.

We are our brother's keeper, for if we are called to love our neighbor, we would want to will their greatest good: their salvation and holiness. We can have great influence on others, whether by participating in their sin, or by encouraging them to holiness. Let's look from a moral theology perspective about how to avoid being a negative influence and rather leading souls to Heaven!

St. Paul tells us not to conform ourselves to this age - and we do live in an unprecedented age, the Technological Age. Technology is more than devices - it is a way of viewing reality, and a powerful tool that can do great good...or great evil. We must be carefully formed in a Christian worldview, with virtues and self-control, to learn how to use technology well so that it enhances our humanity - and does not seek to replace it.

The Church is not just a collection of like-minded individuals who gather to celebrate Jesus. Rather, it was founded by Christ on the rock of St. Peter, our first Pope, and will reach is culmination in and through Christ as well, when the Church is cleansed of all stain and glorifies God for all eternity.

We all want to feel close to God. But faith is deeper than feelings. Every saint had to have their faith purified through the darkness of desolation, a time of feeling distant from God where they struggled to pray. When in this time of desolation, we need to trust and surrender, and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus Christ.

St. Paul encourages us today, that we conquer overwhelmingly because of Christ's love. Despite whatever crosses or difficulties we may have, God can use them for our spiritual profit, so that we are able to rise above our life circumstances and find His victory in every moment!

Financial gurus will say that diversification is the key to a successful portfolio - don't put too much money pursuing one type of stock. Sadly, many Christians take that advice into their spiritual lives - they pursue Heaven, but also pursue the things of this world in the hopes that somewhere they will find happiness. But our hearts know that we were made for more than this world, and Christ's guarantee takes away the risk when we decide to go "all-in" for Him!