THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Eighth Sunday after Pentecost 7 August 2011

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

In our worldly affairs we tend to be much more practical than we are in our spiritual ones. Almost everyone concerns himself with preparation for the future here on earth. We go to school and spend a lot of money, time, and effort to better situate ourselves for the future. When we obtain employment we begin preparing for our retirement, or our children’s educations. We obtain insurance to protect ourselves from unforeseen expenses. We invest and hope for a worthwhile return upon our investments, and even pay others to make sure we are getting the best return for our money that we can expect.

When it comes to our souls and our eternal life, we appear to have little or no concern for the future. Every expense for our souls seems to be too much. The time that is required for our spiritual development is too much. The discipline and sacrifice that is required to train and cultivate our spiritual life always seems too hard, or even a waste of time. We even find that it is not worth the trouble to obtain professional advice or help. Very many have succumbed to the temptations of the Protestants in believing that they do not need any help and can take care of their own souls themselves. They can read the bible and interpret it themselves. Think of how much time and effort they are saving. There seems to not be any concern whether they correctly interpret what they read or even if they understand it in any profound way.

No one would dare read a book on heart surgery and then set out to operate on himself or on a loved one, believing that he can just read and understand without a teacher or guide. Yet, this is exactly what most people do with the life and health of their eternal souls. After having arrived in a most serious and dangerous spiritual situation, they often attempt to lead others into the same errors that they themselves have fallen into.

The prudence that we practice in the ways of the world and for material goods and welfare is extreme, while there seems to be little or no concern for spiritual goods and welfare. Something is definitely wrong. We show more care and solicitude for things that are only temporary. All the things of this earth last for only a short while. They are all passing away, but this is where we focus all our attention and energy. That which is eternal and should demand all or at least most of our attention (because eternity is very long) receives little or none of our attention.

It is truly time for us to wake up from this spiritual slumber that so many of us are under. All the things of this earth are vain and empty. “Vanity of vanity and all is vanity.” (Ecclesiastes 1, 2) The only things that are of real substance or value are the spiritual things as they relate to God.

We must treasure our spiritual life more than our physical one, as St. Dominic Savio professed in his motto: “Death, but not sin.” We must be ready to sacrifice everything of this world – even our very lives – for the benefit of our souls. Rather than offend God in the slightest way it would be much better to suffer the loss of everything in this world. It is a sacrifice of the passing, fleeting and temporary things for those which are permanent, unchanging, and eternal.

We have been freed from this slavery to the things of this earth by the grace of God. Let us not return to this slavery just so that we can be like or be with the rest of men. God has made us His children; we are sons of God. Now that we are free we must focus our attention upon the higher and greater gifts that are offered to His children rather than to the lower and baser things that the evil spirits tempt the slaves with. We must strive not only to match but, even to excel the worldlings and slaves in their prudence and solicitude for the things of this earth, with a greater prudence and solicitude for the things of the spirit.