HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAITH AND YOUR SANITY IN THIS PRESENT DARKNESS WE FIND OURSELVES IN

February 22, 2023

1.  Focus on your personal walk with the Lord, your prayer life, your interior, life, your sacramental life they must be strong. Stronger than ever or you are useless to the mystical body of Christ

2.  Focus on your domestic church, your spouse, your children your grandchildren - continue to inform them, evangelize them, catechize them, encourage them and pray for them. We must save our families beyond anything else, thats the 1st order of business (cf. Joshua 24:15; Acts 16:31).

3.  Be an influencer. Everybody has a certain network, certain specific social contacts, a unique family and set of friends. Evangelize, catechize, inform and encourage them in their faith walk, model a life of virtue and teach them how to vote to promote the common good and a culture of life.

4.  Don’t be discouraged by the enormity of the task that lies ahead. St Mother Teresa of Calcutta recognized that her efforts and those of her fellow Sisters of Charity were in her own words, "our efforts are a drop in a vast ocean of need", but she never wavered, and her legacy lives on today. Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909) author, minister, orator and statesman said: "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, But I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, And what I ought to do, By the grace of God, I will do ." Stay the course, use your talents for God, do your best and stay in your lane.

5.  At the end of the day. Remember, God is in control he’s not asleep, this is his world. He loves everybody in this planet. This is his Catholic Church and his Divine Providence is guiding the Church through these rough waters for final victory. St Pio said: “Pray, hope, and don't worry. Worry is useless. God is merciful and will hear your prayer.” I recall a story told about St Pope John XXIII. Having done what he could during the working hours of the day, it’s said that he ended each day with a simple, eight-word prayer: "It’s your Church, God. I’m going to bed." Remember that, don't take all the problems of the Church and country on your shoulders, give them to God, He has bigger shoulders and HE will be up all night anyways.