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What's New

2009-05-01 11:45:00

Are you one who is just waitin’ to die?

Question: As most of you regular readers know, some months ago I was sent a question that asked me, “What’s new?” This question opened the door for me to write about things that are new, which covers almost anything and everything. I have to restate this every so often so newer readers know why this particular column is here and what it is about.

Answer: This month, “What’s new?” begins where most all of my writing endeavors begin. What one small thing could be invented, built, re-tooled or explained that would make the biggest and most positive impact on humanity? I know I am often the “weird one out,” but I think about things like this a lot. You see, marketing is what I do for a living. I believe that 99.9% of all the words that will ever be invented on this planet have already been invented, but there are an infinite (or almost infinite) number of ways to string these words together to create a new thought, position and/or to market a product, service or concept. It seems as though nowadays, I spend more time trying to change the way mankind looks at things than anything else. This is where this latest thought of mine started. What one thing could mankind do that might just change everything or a lot for the better? In preparing to answer this question, I started with a perception I have. That being there are a whole lot of folks on this Earth who do the same thing, day in day out, year in year out. Although they won’t admit it, they seem to be trying to stay just comfortable enough until they die. I know this might offend some of you, but keep reading; you might find something worthwhile. This perception might also be viewed as being sad, or an over-simplification, but take a look around and observe for yourself. Do you see what I see? Do you see people who, as they age, become terribly cynical? The only things they talk about are re-hashing their same feelings about politics; gossiping about other people; ridiculing the youth; pouncing on the “right” or the “left” and their respective “out of touch” viewpoints; knocking the government and its leaders, etc. It reminds me of that old Sonny and Cher song, “The beat goes on.” Does it ever! I hope I’m not there yet. I hope I never get there. I am almost 60 and realize I am on the downward side of sharpness. My brain cells are diminishing each day, but I thank God He still gives me the opportunity to learn something new. Such was the case these last few days when I began to “bake” what I will present here. As always, in trying to understand me and my thoughts, it might take a little brain stretching to “connect the dots,” but give it a try. Regular readers of this column know that I have declared myself to be one of the biggest sinners ever. They also know, I have said I am trying real hard to change this, but facts are what they are. So none of what you’re going to read in this column is from me being “holier than anyone.” I promise – I am not. But this fact may just make me uniquely qualified to write about this subject. You see, when one finally accepts who he or she is, that person can more easily overcome all fear of any kind in professing his or her faith and beliefs. I know it has worked that way for me. When comparing what others might think of me to what God thinks of me...well there is no comparison. I am going to make several points. For the sake of time and space, I will not make the complete arguments for my points, but I doubt you will have too many problems getting your minister, priest, rabbi, pastor or spiritual advisor to verify these. My first point – For some reason, the Book of Job popped into my mind (yes, I know you are thinking, what a weirdo?). I remember what I had been told about Job. God and Satan were having a discussion about how Satan could get anyone to change his or her commitment to God and to holiness for what Satan might offer that person. Satan thought that the only reason people would stay true to God is because they were well “healed.” God didn’t think so, in that while He gave everyone a free will, those committed to Him would turn from Satan’s temptations and remain loyal to God. Satan said, “Okay, select someone and let me try.” God said, “Go try Job.” Satan said, “You’ve got a deal.” Now Job was a very holy man, and very committed to God. God had blessed him with a wonderful family, possessions and good health. Long story shorter, Satan tempted him. During this entire trial, Job lost everything. He absolutely lost everything including his health. But at the end, he prevailed and Satan lost his bet. But Satan only lost his bet concerning Job. He has - before Job and since - been committed to a modus operandi of seeking the ruination of souls on Earth. Maybe he’s more active today than at any time in the past. Here’s my second point – Due to the sin of Adam and Eve, the Gates of Heaven were closed and every man and woman would be born with original sin on their soul. Additionally, each of us would also be sentenced to a life of pain, suffering, having to work by the sweat of our brow and death. I would like to say, “Thanks Adam and Eve,” but we all would probably have done the same thing they did or worse. While Baptism can remove this sin (and must be removed to be saved), the remnants of this sin stay with us throughout our lives. The Doctors of the Church (i.e. St. Augustine, St. Thomas, St. Alphonsus de Liguori, etc.) wrote about these remnants many times. One of these remnants is that each of us has a natural inclination towards evil. I know that’s a terrible thing to say, but it’s true. St. Paul said, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Again, your spiritual advisor will concur with this so ask him or her. Another one of these remnants is concupiscence. Concupiscence is a mandated requirement in one’s head that he or she always has to have more of everything. Nothing is ever enough. Regardless of who we are or our social or economic status we all want more and will until we die. My third point – God giving each of us a free will is as certain as the fact that the sun came up in the East this morning. I’ve heard Bill Maher and others like him, knock and ridicule God and religion numerous times. He and they joke about anything and everything to do with these subjects. I remember so many times hearing these kinds of folks ask, “Why does one need religion, anyway?” My answer is that religion can provide you with the things you need to support your free will and counter Satan’s attempts to ruin your soul and send it to Hell. My fourth point – Our Lord Jesus Christ came on this Earth to reopen the gates of Heaven. How did He do this? God allows us all to use our free will to make decisions throughout our lives. We, as the human race, made the decisions to ridicule Him, torture Him, then kill Him. Isn’t it great to be part of this human race that did this to our God? If you or a member of your family did this, to a member of another family, that family would hate you and your family for generations to come. They would seek you and your family’s ruination with every breath they took. What a great God we’ve got in God, huh? May He have mercy on us all. My fifth point – Satan had to have been a big part in what we did to Jesus Christ. Wouldn’t you like to do whatever you could do to him for doing what he did? But Satan is a powerful being. If you’re going to get him and get him good, first you have to get his attention. How do you do that? You frighten him. What frightens Satan? This is a deep one, but stay with me, as you already have “equity” in this column. Almsgiving, fasting and vigilance are things that one can and should do to assist in strengthening one’s free will to overcome Satan’s attempts to ruin his or her soul, however none of these frighten Satan, and remember that is our mission. We need to continually scare Satan back to Hell. You see, almsgiving doesn’t frighten him, as Satan owns nothing. Fasting doesn’t frighten Satan, as Satan doesn’t eat. You can stay up all night in a vigil praying, but that doesn’t frighten Satan either, as he doesn’t sleep. You want to know what really scares Satan back to Hell where he belongs? Charity. People loving people for all of the right reasons. Sure, lots of us love our families and friends, our boyfriend or girl friend; but what really frightens Satan is when we love our enemies, or those of a different persuasion, race, creed, faith or political view than our own. In Matthew 22:34-40, it says, “But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” I wonder why our Lord would have said something like this if it wasn’t the most important thing He could tell us? My last point – Did you ever think how much of our lives are spent trying to “befriend the king” (i.e. make friends or seek approval from some person of a higher social status than our own, a Senator, a Governor, the President of a club, someone with money or things, etc.)? What a folly! At the end of the day, all that person is…is a mortal just like ourself. He or she is a bag of bones, flesh and blood just like us. And, shortly after death, he or she will turn to dust just like we will. How much sense can it make to spend one’s entire life trying to befriend someone who is no different than yourself, when you can spend 10 seconds trying to befriend God, Who is the only One that counts anyway? So, with all of this, what is my point? Exercise that free will of yours. Keep it heading in the right direction. Understand Satan is here in this world and actively and aggressively trying to seek the ruination of your soul and those of your loved ones. Continue to do all of the things that will help strengthen your free will, but more than anything, give a big kick in the groin to Satan and scare him back to Hell. Spread a whole lot of love around to everyone – everyday - not to just those you like, but to everyone, including the only One Who counts. Do it to frighten Satan and send him back to Hell. Do it to make life a whole lot better for everyone. Do it because God commanded you to do so. I’m sure my plan is way too simplistic…but I will make a wager with you. Doing this is going to do a whole lot more good for all of us than continuing to feed the hate, anger and ill-will that is present in so many folks who are just waitin’ to die.