Take whatever the world “throws at you” and rejoice - “For your reward will be great in heaven”

Today at Holy Mass we hear in the Gospel of St Mark how King Herod was beginning to hear about Jesus…..His fame was spreading……”King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why mighty powers are at work in him.” Others were saying, “He is Elijah”; still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets. ”But when Herod learned of it, he said, “It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up”……John the Baptist and Jesus Christ both spoke the Truth….And they spoke it clearly and boldly…Notice how even though John the Baptist was killed, the Truth was still spoken - It could not be silenced…This reality is something that the powerful of the world can not accept to this very day…The Natural Law and Gospel Truths are written on the human heart….No matter what a person does in trying to silence or eliminate the Truth - It cannot be done! - Even if you “eliminate” that person - Another person takes their place…..This is why the Catholic Church has endured for 2000 years and will be the last institution left standing on the face of the earth - Bank on that!…Because the fullness of the Truth is contained in the Catholic Church and the Truth always remains when everything else fades away and turns to dust - And that is reality! - Human beings do not get to define reality - We can deny it all we want but when we do, there are consequences……”Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”……Catholics today, no matter what we are up against must always remember that the victory has already been won - Jesus Christ defeated death and Jesus Christ is the Truth!…Anyone who objectively searches for the Truth always ends up in the same place - With Jesus in the Catholic Church.....”Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

“Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart, and yield a harvest through perseverance”

Time and patience obtains all things……Far too many people argue with people, both on social media and in day to day life about the Truth - And the Truth is objective - There is no such thing as “my truth” or “your truth” - That is pure nonsense - There is just “THE TRUTH”…..There are many reasons why people argue incessantly….Pride - People want to be prove they are right……..Validation - People yearn to be validated by their peers and even by those who oppose them……Hatred - People hold in their hearts hatred for groups of people and want to humiliate them - These are just a few reasons why people are always arguing!……Ultimately, these motives must be removed from the hearts of Catholics…..The Truth can stand on its own - Its like a lion, just let it loose, it will defend itself…If a person will not accept the Truth…If they claim 2+2 = 8….There is nothing a Catholic can do to change their mind……At that point, all we can do is pray, fast and give a consistent witness with our life…..Words will never convince a person who has “dug in” to relativistic ideologies - Catholics will never argue anyone into the doors of the Church - So stop trying…..However - If we live what we say we believe - The secular world will “think twice”…..At this point in America and across Western Civilization, the best argument to be made for the Catholic Church is found in the lives of the saints…..That means if on a personal level, you want to impact the world, maybe its time to stop “posting” on social media and start getting serious about living radically our Catholic faith….The witness of sacrificial love “speaks” to the hardest of hearts….This is what our world needs right now…..Talk is cheap!…..Catholics need to get serious…..Why?……Because only saints change the world - Strive to be one or die trying!

“God’s way is unerring, the promise of the LORD is fire-tried; he is a shield to all who take refuge in him”

Today at Mass St Mark tells us how Herod, while he denied the Truth spoken by both Jesus and John the Baptist, he was perplexed by them….Scripture even tells us that Herod liked to listen to these men, even though he outright rejected what they spoke about…..This reality should give us a clue into the human heart….This reality should also encourage us today……To never be afraid to live and speak the Truth………However………While we can count on the Truth “winning” in the end - In the mean time - There is always a “price to pay” - The world always “takes its pound of flesh” from those who side with the Truth….It all “boils down” to this question - Are you willing to pay the price?…..Each Catholic must ask themself this question and answer it one way or another! - Time to face facts! - “The Cross” stares us in the face!…..And Jesus understood this reality very well - So much so he warned us about it - “Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you”…….There is no “getting around” this reality - So what is it going to be? - What is your choice - Yes or No?……Our choices define who we are as people and as Catholics…..Before you answer, keep this in mind - Our time on this earth is so short when it is compared to eternity, which awaits us all….So I say to you today who read this reflection - Choose life! - Pay the price!……Take whatever the world “throws at you” and rejoice - “For your reward will be great in heaven”…….JMJ