Category Archives: Christianity

Relax The Moral Standards?

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Why does the Catholic Church refuse to “relax” certain moral standards even when a high percentage of Catholics desire such a move?  It’s because the job of the Church is not to produce “nice,” spiritually mediocre people who “get along” with everybody.  The job of the Church is to produce saints, people of radical holiness.  Lowering moral standards would mute the call to sanctity.

At the same time, the Church has a most lenient penitential system.  We all fall short of Jesus’ standard of perfection and require God’s mercy.  The other job of the Church is to be the vehicle of God’s love and mercy when we fall.  God’s loving mercy does not lower moral standards.  Mercy provides help and support in shooting for those standards.

Catholics (indeed, all Christians) are called to radical holiness.  We are all called to sainthood.  Lowering the bar won’t cut it.  Instead, seek to meet the bar.

 

(Paraphrase of a commentary by Fr. Robert Barron)

Why The Thief On The Cross Does Not Disprove Purgatory

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Recently, I read a post by Stephen Ray regarding the misuse of 2Cor 5:6-8.  Many people believe the passage proves that there is no such thing as Purgatory since “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”  Mr. Ray explains why that is a misreading of the text.  Some of the comments to the post also pointed to the thief on the cross as a reason to reject the idea of Purgatory since Jesus told the thief, “This day you will be with me in Paradise.”  “See,” they will say, “there is no ‘lobby’ or ‘front porch’ or ‘mud room’ to Heaven.  One either goes straight to Heaven or straight to Hell.”

The experience of the thief on the cross does not disprove Purgatory.  First of all, Catholicism does not teach that everyone must go through Purgatory, only that there is a Purgatory for those who need that purification.  Martyrs, for example, having suffered for the faith in unspeakable ways, likely do not need the purging experience of Purgatory to release them from lingering attachments to this life.

Secondly, the thief was already suffering on his cross and such suffering can be part of (or the whole extent of) the purging process.  We do not know exactly when the thief believed in Christ, but Jesus knew.  It may have been long before he was crucified next to Jesus.  The thief’s cross may have perfected him since we are told by Christ to suffer our own crosses and lay aside all other attachments to follow Him.  The thief knew he was getting what he deserved.  He was willingly making reparations for his sins.

Recall there was another thief being crucified next to Christ, but he did not believe in Christ.  He mocked Christ.  He did not take up his cross to follow Christ.  He took no ownership of his sins or the consequences of them.  His suffering was more like Hell than Purgatory.  No Paradise ahead.

Thirdly, Christ was right there, present with the thief, “on the front porch of Heaven” if you will.  That’s why Christ, in all the burning fire of His love, fully present with the thief could say, “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”  It is a great picture of Purgatory.  The believer, in a state of suffering complete separation from worldly attachments, expresses his desire to be with the Lord who welcomes him off of the “front porch” and into His house.

When Christ ascended to Heaven, the so called “front porch” went with Him.  Rather than being nailed to a literal cross, the “fire” of Purgatory now does the purging for us.  In order to enter Heaven, every hint of attachment to things other than Christ must be eliminated (perfection).  Whatever detachment does not take place in this world is resolved in the fire of Christ’s purifying love.  Purgatory is not a “location” but a “state of being” that prepares the believer to enter Heaven completely pure and holy.

Rather than disproving Purgatory, the thief on the cross is a great image of Purgatory.  Many of us will need to spend time “hanging on the thief’s cross” so to speak, before we are ready to enter Heaven.  It’s not that our suffering replaces the sacrifice of Christ.  It’s that we need to completely let go of the rope we still have tied to things in this life.  That can require some pretty serious rope burn before we completely release our grip.  Hence, we pray for the souls in Purgatory, to help them loosen their grip.

Something Amazing!

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I sat down next to a guy at lunch the other day and noticed that he seemed to be deep in thought about something very serious.  He was just sitting there, staring at his coffee and stirring it with a stick.  Finally, I decided to strike up a conversation with him.

“They make pretty good coffee here, don’t they?”

He just looked at me as if he heard my words but didn’t understand the meaning.  Then he blinked a few times and said, “Yeah, the coffee is great here.”

“Good,” I said with a smile, “The way you were looking at yours I was afraid it might be poison.”

He chuckled a little.  Then, with a small grin, he turned to look at me and asked, “Do you want to hear something amazing?”

“Sure.”

“I have a friend who was murdered a while back.”

“That’s horrible!  I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thanks.  The thing is, before he was killed I did something stupid.  I pretty much ripped his heart out and stomped on it.  It was like I knew what I was saying was wrong but it kept coming out of my mouth anyway.  You know what I mean?  I didn’t have a chance to apologize before he was killed.”

“Man, that really sucks,” I said, wondering where the amazing part was.

After a long, awkward pause I said, “Well, I’m sure your friend would have forgiven you if only you had been given the chance to apologize.”

“Well, that’s what’s so amazing.  I may just get the chance after all.”

“What do you mean?”

The guy looked around the room and became sort of giddy.  “I’ve been dying to tell people this.  I just can’t keep it to myself anymore.  At first it scared me to death, but now I just have to share it.  My friend is alive!”

“Uh, you mean he wasn’t killed after all?”

“Oh, no, he was brutally murdered.  He was even buried.  But now he’s alive again!  I saw him!  Lots of people have seen him!  That’s the amazing part!”

“Um, really?”

“Yeah, and that’s not all.  The day he was killed, lots of people who were dead were seen alive again all over town!”

“Hmm…I did not know that,” I said, trying to be polite.  “That does sound amazing.  Well, I have to get back to work now.  It was nice talking to you…uh…”

“Peter,” he said, finally introducing himself.

“Oh, I’m Thomas.  Nice meeting you, Peter.  Have a good one.”

Christianity has what Fr. Robert Barron calls a grab-you-by-the-lapels quality.  Jesus was brutally murdered and then rose from the dead.  Hundreds of witnesses saw him, talked to him and ate with him.  This was not some David Copperfield or Chris Angel magic illusion.  Without the resurrection, Jesus was just another nice guy or an inspiring teacher.  The apostle Paul said that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then we are all still dead in our sins and our faith is in vain.  No other religion or philosophy compares to the message of Christianity.  It is a message the disciples were willing to die for because they knew it to be true.  Resurrection.

What if something amazing happened to you?  What if you caught a huge fish or won a big prize or became cured of cancer?  What if your favorite ball team won a championship?  Would you keep the news all to yourself?  Does the fact that Jesus actually rose from the dead compel you to spread that news to others in some way?  Does it amaze you?  Do you really believe?  Without the resurrection, all we have to tell is what anyone else could tell.  Without the resurrection, we’re all just wasting our time.  I say that as I grab you by the lapels.

Why It Was The Best Holy Week I Have Ever Experienced:

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Monday:

In the evening we had the monthly meeting of our men’s group.  Although we had been meeting for a couple of years, there was a moving of the Spirit which prompted some men to witness to the power of God in their lives.  It felt as though the time had come for the group to move deeper into the Faith and to share it with others in new ways.  It was a refreshing and encouraging meeting.

Tuesday:

We went to the Chrism Mass at the cathedral and experienced the blessing of the holy oils.  The oils are distributed to parishes throughout the archdiocese for use in the sacramental life of the Church.  Each church has a special place to keep and display the holy oils.  Also, during the Mass, priests from around the diocese renewed their commitment to their vocation, and the congregation warmly acknowledged several new seminarians preparing for the priesthood.

As the liturgy engaged all five senses, I was reminded that, unlike the angels, God gave us physical bodies for a reason.  God came to us physically 2000 years ago, and he still does today in the Eucharist.  It was true worship.

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Thursday:

The foot washing Mass commemorated the humble and loving example that Jesus showed His disciples by lowering Himself to the place of a servant and washing their feet.  The priest knelt to wash the feet of twelve members of the congregation (one of which was my wife).  It was a moving display of God’s love for us, and the attitude Christians must have towards others.

Friday:

On Good Friday we gathered with soberness of heart while meditating on the depths to which Christ lowered Himself for our sake.  Each of us went forward to venerate the cross.  At the foot of the cross, we showed respect and gratitude for the price Jesus paid for our sins.  It is always a moving experience.

Saturday night Easter Vigil:

The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) is approximately a nine month process in which people wishing to become Catholic Christians are catechized and brought into the Church community.  It is not a quick process, because the Church regards being Christian a very serious matter.  The Church also recognizes that conversion is not a one-time event, but a life-long process of growth, learning and discipleship.  Being Christian is about a relationship with Christ, and a relationship with Christ is fully realized and expressed within the context of knowing Christ’s Church.

Those in RCIA finally enter full communion with the Church during the Easter Vigil.  It begins with the blessing and lighting of the Paschal candle outside the church at a small bonfire with everyone gathered around.  From there, we enter the church in a candlelight procession.  As the service progresses, the music becomes more celebratory and the lights become brighter.  The crucifix has been replaced by the image of the risen Lord.  We are ushering in Easter, the resurrection of the Lord!  Death is swallowed up in victory!

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Catechumens (those who are not yet Christian) receive the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Communion.  Candidates (those who are already Christian by virtue of their baptism in other denominations) receive the sacraments of Confirmation and Holy Communion.  We welcomed all of them with open arms as they entered into the fullness of the Christian Faith!  Our parish had about 15 of the over 400 hundred people entering the Church all over the diocese.

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One of the women that became Catholic this Easter spent more than the prescribed nine months preparing.  She had been through the customary RCIA period, but, at the end, was not ready to commit.  She still had much to process in her mind and in her heart.  She had always been a strong, faithful Christian.  She had a lifelong relationship with Christ and a strong foundation in scripture.  She took very seriously the implications of embracing Catholicism.

Nine months of study and discernment turned into four years.  No one pressured her to become Catholic.  They simply loved her, answered her questions as best they could, and gave her the space she needed.  The Holy Spirit did the rest, as only He can.

At the beginning of Lent, this woman (my wife, if you haven’t already guessed) approached me, pulled me aside and said, “I have something to tell you.  I’ve decided to enter the Church this Easter!”  My joy was increased in knowing that she had reached this decision in her own time, gently led by the Spirit of God who loves her.  My respect for her increased in knowing the courage it took for her to make this journey and that her decision had not been made lightly.  The years it took for her to step out in faith made it all the more inspiring to me and to many of those present Saturday night.  I am so grateful for how she has been led by the Spirit and embraced by the Church community.

Only she can tell her story.  I do know there are things she is still pondering and learning about, but that is what we all must do.  No one “knows it all.”  Conversion is a life-long process.  Christians are called to discipleship, which means we are to be constantly learning from the Master through His Church.  However, we can’t wait until we have every question answered before acting on faith.  St. Augustine said, “If you understand, then it is not God.”  We can’t intellectually grasp all the wonders of God.  We must take some things on faith.  That’s what makes it faith.  By faith, my wife had already accepted the salvation offered through her Lord, Jesus Christ.  Now, by faith, she has embraced the Church established by that same Lord, Jesus Christ.

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My wife and I have always had a wonderful relationship.  Now our union has reached another level of intimacy with God and with each other.  The journey holds new possibilities as our path unfolds before us, God’s lamp lighting our way.

Easter Sunday:

My little nephew announced that he had decided to follow Jesus.  His journey has begun with the childlike faith Jesus calls all of us to have in Him.

Now you know why this has been the best Holy Week I have ever experienced!  Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, now, and will be forever.  Amen!

The Little Flower Strikes Again

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A few years ago I discovered St. Thérèse de Lisieux (The Little Flower) through her book Story of a Soul.  I fell in love with her “little way” and her desire for the vocation of love.  Since then, I notice her showing up in my life in various ways.  Sometimes, it’s very subtle, like noticing a small flower in the grass.  Other times, it’s more obvious that she has been an influence in my life, even before I knew who she was.

I haven’t piloted an aircraft for several years.  When I was actively flying, I did have some close calls.  Suffice it to say that some of those incidents could have had disastrous consequences.  I refuse to call it luck.  I was being watched over.  I sensed it.  Naturally, I thanked God for protecting me (and whoever else was involved).  Only more recently have I had the awareness that, through God, others were also pulling for me.

There were loved ones on Earth and in Heaven who were praying for me.  The book of Hebrews tells of the “great cloud of witnesses” that surrounds us.  The saints that have gone before us reside within the heart and mind of God and intercede for us through the singular mediation of Jesus Christ.  I was being prayed for.  The family of God, the Communion of Saints, was praying for me through Jesus.  Today, one of those prayer warriors was revealed to me.

I was briefly skimming through a book about saints before taking it downstairs to put on the shelf.  I just happened to open it up to the page that lists the patron saints of various professions.  I wasn’t even looking for anything in particular.  If I would have been looking, I would have looked alphabetically under “Pilots.”  Instead, my eyes just happened to fall upon the words “Air Crews.”  One of the patron saints of air crews listed there was Thérèse de Lisieux.  Thank you, Little Flower.

 

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Truth Or Consequences

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In this age of relativistic thinking it can be difficult to come to any conclusions.  Truth, if it exists at all, is regarded as being “out there” in some inaccessible, grayish, void beyond our reach.  So, when the Church declares truth, many people are understandably cynical or skeptical.  To them, it is not actually truth being declared by the Church, but the Church’s particular version of truth.  It’s not “really” truth, but just another opinion among many.  “Just because the Church says so doesn’t make it true.”  Anyone claiming to know truth must be arrogant, delusional, brainwashed or otherwise misled.

If I noticed that a bridge had been washed away by a flash flood, I would want to warn approaching motorists of the danger.  Circumstances would have revealed a truth to me that had not yet been revealed to the approaching motorists.  The bridge is out, not “because I say so,” but “I say so” because the bridge is truly out.  If I decide to hide the truth or declare the truth, it still remains true.  The bridge will still be out.  Drivers may decide to ignore my frantic arm-waving and go over the edge, or they may stop and heed the truth.  Whatever decisions I or the drivers make, the truth remains true.

The truth taught by the Church is not true “because the Church says so.”  The Church teaches what is true because the truth has been revealed to the Church, and the Church’s job is to “wave her arms.”  This doesn’t mean that the Church has a monopoly on all truth, or that the Church is “better” than the rest of humanity.  All truth belongs to God, whether one finds it through the Church or not.  It simply means that the purpose of the Church is to reveal the truth that God reveals to the Church.

Again, one can be cynical and skeptical and believe that the Church is like the Wizard of Oz behind a big curtain putting on a show to control people.  But that doesn’t line up with the historical origins of the Church and her institution by Jesus Christ.  The Church didn’t suddenly fall from the sky in a balloon and invent ways to grab and retain power over the populace.  The Church was established by Jesus, given His authority and sent on a specific mission by Him.

God could have decided to teach everyone truth in an instant, all at the same time.  He could have simply zapped us all into full knowledge of everything that He wanted us to know (a bit like the angels).  God could have decided to reveal truth any number of ways.  As it turned out, God decided to reveal truth to us through Jesus and His Church.  (Keep in mind that “the Church” also includes the Bible which flowed from the Church and is part of the Church’s Deposit of Faith).

Now I’ll share some of my own skepticism.  No matter how God chooses to reveal truth, there will be plenty of folks ready to reject it.  No amount of miracles or displays of power will convince everyone.  Lucifer, the angel, rejected God and took one third of the angels with him.  Judas watched Jesus perform all kinds of miraculous signs and wonders, and the most religious people had Jesus killed.  Being present with God Himself isn’t enough to persuade everyone to accept truth.  The Church can’t convince everyone of the truth, either.  And yet, what the Church teaches is true.

The Eucharist: Living To Eat Or Eating To Live?

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Some people think that going to church is what Christianity is all about.  That’s like saying that eating is what life is all about.  Eating (though enjoyable) merely keeps us alive so we can actually live life.  People who focus too much on eating end up obese and unhealthy.  They can’t live life as well.

People who focus their Christianity on “going to church” have a similar issue.  Mass is where we are spiritually fed so we can leave church and live the Christian life.  After Mass we are told, “The Mass is ended, go!”  We have been fed, now it’s time to get to work!  Many folks consider their church attendance to actually be their Christian work.  That’s like going to a job and only “clocking in” during lunch break.  Who would hire such an employee?

Imagine if soldiers never left their training grounds and mess halls during a war.  They would be very good at running obstacle courses, marching, doing drills, cleaning their weapons, etc.  They would not be much use in defending their country.  In fact, an invading force could simply take over.

Spiritual warfare is no different.  If Christians are preoccupied with “going to church,” who is out in the world “fighting the good fight?”  Who is out there putting God’s love into action, healing and defending the hearts that the enemy seeks to devour?  A lot of well fed soldiers are not much use unless they are willing and able to risk themselves and engage in battle.

Catholicism is meant to be shared with the world.  It was never intended to be a “private religion” we keep to ourselves.  The spiritual food we consume on Sunday is given to us to sustain and equip us for daily life.  That means that from the time we wake in the morning until the time we fall asleep at night we are to be conscience of the fact that we are Christians on a mission.  We are always disciples who serve a Master.  We need to resist the tendency to flip our “Christian switch” on or off as it suits us.  We can’t be Christian only when it’s convenient or comfortable or acceptable to others.

I’m not suggesting that we Catholics all become obnoxious, Bible-waving, verse-quoting, overbearing, over-zealous, Christians that people avoid like the plague whenever they see us coming.  I’m suggesting that we allow the gift of Himself that Christ feeds us at every mass to change our hearts into Christ’s heart.  Then we will not mentally leave Christ behind in the tabernacle as we leave church and go out into our daily, distracted lives.  We will actually be Christ in our daily lives.  Then, life won’t be all about eating.  Eating will be all about life.

The Loving, Great Physician Must Diagnose And Prescribe

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Most of us have probably heard it said that the Church is like a hospital for sick people (sinners), not a mansion for healthy people (saints), or something to that effect.  The analogy is apt, especially in light of Jesus being the Great Physician and we all being sinners.  As Jesus said, the sick people need the doctor, not the well ones.

The good news of the gospel is that God loved us so much He gave His only Son to die for us and to call us to repentance.  That is where we find healing from our illness of sin.  The Church’s job is to spread this good news to the rest of the world.

In order for a hospital or the Church to provide healing, there must be diagnosis and treatment.  This is where things get tricky.  People want to be welcomed at the door, but they don’t always want to be diagnosed.  Even if they allow themselves to be diagnosed, they may be unwilling to follow the doctor’s orders.

The Church (like a hospital) also works against the spread of disease (sin).  Consequently, if a patient is spreading “germs” that may infect others, the Church has the obligation to try and contain the outbreak.  Some patients may be a “health risk” without even realizing it.  They need to be informed and instructed on what to do for their own health as well as the health of everyone else.  That’s why the Church puts boundaries on certain behaviors.  We all impact each other.

The Church has to balance her responsibility to welcome all sinners with her responsibility to diagnose and treat sinners.  Even if the Church is the most loving, warm, welcoming place on Earth, we still need to hear what our sins are.  We need the diagnosis.  Coming to Christ requires repentance.  We need to know what to repent of.  If the Church does not let us know what our sins are, she is not really doing her job.  The Great Physician is in the healing business, but, in order to heal, He must also diagnose and prescribe.  This is where many Christians lose the balance.

It does no good to get people in the door then refuse to call them to repentance.  It is even worse to draw people in by calling their evil deeds good, thereby robbing them of their need for repentance and healing.  Often, when people are told, “What you are doing is immoral” they will head for the door.  So, a lot of churches would rather say, “What you’re doing is fine,” or, say nothing at all.  Such churches may have  pleasant bedside manners, but they do people a disservice by failing to diagnose and prescribe.

Other churches are so determined to point out sin that they forget the importance of a good bedside manner.  People generally won’t hear the message until they feel a certain degree of trust and safety that can only be established through genuine, caring relationships.  When we sense how much the doctor cares, we are more likely to follow the prescription.

Jesus was welcoming to everyone.  He loves us unconditionally, but He also calls us to holiness.  Jesus pointed out sin, called for repentance and said, “Go and sin no more.”  He welcomed, He diagnosed and He prescribed.  Still, some people accepted Him, and some people walked away from Him.  So it is with the Church.  The doctor must be kind and honest with the patient, but the patient must cooperate with the doctor in order for healing to take place.

Witnessing To Friends And Family

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An interesting point was made at the deacon meeting I attended last week.  The question was raised as to whether or not a newly ordained deacon should continue to attend his home parish or move to the parish where he was assigned as a deacon.  It was noted that, although some deacons continue to attend their original parish, it can be advantageous to move entirely to the parish of their assignment and develop new relationships there.

Some men have been at their parishes for a long time and people know them quite well.  In some cases, this dynamic may actually hamper their ministry as a deacon.  Since people know them so well, they may have difficulty taking them seriously as an ordained minister.  This is similar to the phenomenon Jesus referred to when he said that a prophet is not accepted in his own town.  People are often more accepting of a minister when they know him only as a minister and not as “that guy we grew up with.”  Jesus encountered this reaction when people who knew him said, “Who does he think he is?  Isn’t he that carpenter?”

The same principle may apply to anyone who tries to witness to friends and family members about spiritual matters.  It can be hard for friends and family to look past the person they know so well and receive the message being delivered.  On the other hand, the opposite may be true.  When a person’s life has turned around for the better, friends and family members may be the most amazed and impressed at the difference.  Or, like the Prodigal Son’s older brother, they may resent the spiritual awakening of a family member.  Only God knows the hearts of people.

Some people readily accept input from family members while others bristle at the thought of a family member offering any advice at all.  Parents of adolescents often experience the frustrating sentiment that “if Mom or Dad says it, it must be wrong.”  Adult children of aging parents frequently find themselves at a loss when Mom or Dad “won’t take any of my advice or even entertain any of my suggestions.”  The aging parent may be thinking, “You are still my child, so who are you to tell me what to do?”  Longstanding sibling rivalries may cause brothers and sisters to regard each other with skepticism.  Family dynamics such as these affect more than just communication about spiritual matters.

So, when we have friends or family members that we wish were more open to the message of Jesus Christ and his Church, we must not be discouraged when our witness has no apparent positive effect on them.  First, we do not know how the message is being processed in their minds and hearts.  Secondly, the message may need to come from someone outside of the family.  Personally, my return to the Church was prompted by people I had never met.  My family cared for me, influenced me and prayed for me, but nothing they said to me triggered my reversion.  God used the voices of people outside of my family for that.  It had to be my decision to come back to the Church.  I decided to be Catholic because Catholicism is true, not just because my family is Catholic.

Like a new deacon who must go and create new relationships as a deacon, we must allow our friends and loved ones to experience new people and new places.  God has a plan.  God knows who we need to encounter and when we need that encounter.

What can we do for our friends and family to help them find Christ and his Church?  Love them.  Be available to them.  Listen more than we talk.  When we do talk, speak the truth in love.  Be ready to answer their questions and hear their complaints without judgment or criticism.  Be patient.  Let God do His work.  Pray for them.  Specifically, pray that God will give them encounters with people that awaken their hearts and minds to His truth.  Sometimes the last person one needs to hear from is a family member.

Just One Of The Guys

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Recently, my wife and I were invited to an information meeting for those who may have a calling to be permanent deacons.  People at church have been suggesting to me for some time that I may have this calling.  This is something that will require a good bit of discernment over time.  I don’t know if I have the call to be a deacon or not.  What I do know for sure is that I am called to be a follower of Jesus, no matter what.

I had a good conversation with a deacon who shared some of his thoughts about his vocation.  It struck me when he said, “Since being ordained, I’m no longer one of the guys.”  People treat him differently now.  For example, men who ordinarily might share an off color joke or make some unseemly remark speak more cautiously around him.  I suppose this is a good thing insofar as it shows some reverence for his ordained status and his representation of Christ and the Church.  It may also reveal their guilty consciences and highlight their need to conform their minds to Christ.  Or, maybe they are simply being “courteous” by trying not to offend the deacon as a person.

In any case, it occurred to me that we are all called to serve Christ.  We are all told to be living sacrifices and to let our minds be conformed to Christ.  Ordination may set certain men apart for specific purposes in the Church, but it does not make them “more called” to serve Christ than the layman.  Therefore, it seems to me that a deacon should always be “one of the guys” because “the guys” need to be striving for holiness as much as any deacon, priest, bishop or pope.  There is nothing that says a Christian man is exempt from living a holy life unless he gets ordained.

There is also a perception that, if a man has a keen interest in “spiritual matters,” or he possesses certain gifts, he must be called to some ordained status.  Maybe, maybe not.  All men and women are called to have a keen interest in following Jesus Christ.  Devoting one’s entire life to Christ is not reserved for priests, deacons and nuns.  It is for all of us.

Adding to a perceived “spiritual gap” between clergy and laity is the notion that canonized saints are something other than ordinary human beings.  We see their pictures and hear their stories and we believe they are not us.  The irony is that the very reason we are supposed to be mindful of the saints and in touch with the saints is that we are supposed to emulate the saints.  They are not there to show us a lofty ideal we can never reach.  They are there to show us and to tell us, “If we can do it, you can do it!”  The saints are not “the exception” they are “the goal.”  They show us what we as Christians are expected to be.  That is why there are so many saints from all walks of life.  They are us!  They are cheering us on!

It seems to me that if a deacon is living a holy life, and is surrounded by men who are striving for the goal of sainthood, he will feel like he is “one of the guys.”  Maybe God is calling me to be a deacon.  I don’t know yet.  He has already called me to be a Christian man, a husband and a father.  He has called me to follow him, no matter what.  I want to be “one of the guys” for Jesus, ordained or not.