Call me old-fashioned, but when I think of June, I think of summer vacation, taking the kids to the pool, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
But for many in America, it's become a month of outright war on the Church.
It's crazy because it wasn't too long ago that you could reasonably assume that mainstream society - most of them anyway - shared most of the same Christian values that we hold as Catholics.
Then about five years ago or so, it felt like the bottom dropped out and the world went mad.
So what happened?
Certainly there have been some recent glimmers of hope, but the cultural juggernaut remains firmly against us.
So what do we do?
How do we start winning souls - and all of society - back to the Church again?
In today's Sainthood Snippet video, I'll let you in on the secret to crushing the culture war.
God bless and enjoy!
Matthew
P.S. Have you tried the Science of Sainthood for FREE? Check it out HERE!
PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
How did our faith become so irrelevant to so many people?
How did we lose the ability to get society to turn, take notice, and follow us?
As hard as it is to imagine, somehow a group of people which boasts a billion members has lost its place as the primary influence upon the world.
And even more incredible, we've lost it to people who've never experienced the breathtaking grace, truth, and beauty of Jesus Christ. They're stuck in the mire of sin, yet they're the ones who are setting the agendas and dictating the culture.
The majority of the planet is being led by the spiritually dead on a path to destruction without even giving us a second glance. It's more than a little disturbing, and I think a good portion of the problem is that Catholics today tend to blend in more than stand out. We look like everyone else. We talk like everyone else. We live like everyone
else. We're so assimilated that there's not much left to make us or our message very distinctive. So why should people stop and pay attention?
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying we should go around making spectacles of ourselves. It's not a matter of difference for difference's sake. I'm talking about living saintly lives of virtue and holiness that can't help but be noticed.
Now, perhaps right now, you're thinking to yourself, did he just say Saint again? I mean, sheesh, Matt, I have a hard time being good, much less like one of those people in a Saint book. If that's what you're thinking - welcome to my world!
But remember, saints were normal people. They lived in the same world we do. They just weren't of it. Now it's possible you're old enough to remember when the movie A Man for All Seasons came out. In case you're wondering, I'm not. I saw it on videotape, which dates me one way or the other. One of my children picked up a videotape like it was an ancient artifact not long ago, and was like, 'Dad, what's Vuh-Huss?' 'Vuh-Huss? No no no, sweetie. That's VHS. Now go to your room.'
A man for all seasons is about St. Thomas More, a 16th century Englishman who served under Henry VIII and lost his head, literally, because he wouldn't back down to the king who broke from the Catholic Church. Now, perhaps you think that's pretty hardcore, and it is. But if Thomas More stood in a police lineup, you couldn't immediately tag him as the super holy guy. It's not like he had a halo over his head. In fact, he was like a lot of other guys you probably know. Well-educated, happily married with kids, and a good job. The guy was Lord High Chancellor of England, for crying out loud - that looks pretty good on a resume.
But while More for all outward appearances looked like his buddies, he was actually quite different than most people. He lived according to a higher, holier standard in every aspect of his life. St. Thomas More was an attorney. Yeah. And let's be honest, if an attorney can get canonized, well, let's just say anyone can. I'm only kidding. Of course there are lots of holy Catholic attorneys.
But you know how an attorney became a saint? Partly by trying to persuade his clients to settle out of court because it would be cheaper. I mean, that's the attorney you want, right? But we can learn from Thomas More. He was firmly rooted in this world, raised his children, worked his job, engaged his culture. In short, he lived out his vocation the best he knew how. He wasn't a mystic and he didn't have any extraordinary spiritual gifts to speak of, but simply by striving for holiness on a daily basis, he became a huge blinking neon sign that pointed to Jesus. The world couldn't help but take notice. I mean, they made a movie about him for crying out loud. You see, holiness is the bonfire that draws people in from the cold, dark night of sin. Our lives must radiate the power of Christ's grace and the warmth of his love. That's the foundation of our faith. Holiness is how we get ourselves and others to heaven.
