DAILY MASS REFLECTIONS ELEVENTH THURSDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

 DAILY MASS REFLECTIONS ELEVENTH THURSDAY OF ORDINARY TIME

Greetings brothers and sisters, when it came to his ministry, one of the most challenging aspects with which St. Paul had to fight was the presence of what he referred to as "super apostles." These were independent Christian instructors who preached a version of Christianity that was diametrically opposed to the beliefs of the apostles. Perhaps a more recent form of this is the presence of tele-evangelists and mega churches that make extensive use of the media and are extremely adept in their use of it.

Nowadays, there is a great deal of rivalry for people's souls. Social media ministries have the potential to become extremely aggressive. However, the larger conflict continues mostly unreported. Every program, every advertisement, and every billboard promote certain values that are diametrically opposed to the Gospel. Indulging in the media world means entering a maelstrom of advertising, manipulation, and well-designed packaging that aims to reshape the minds and souls of those who participate in the process. Slowly but steadily, the Gospel is becoming increasingly absent from our daily lives.

At some point, the petition from Christ's heart, the Lord's Prayer, the one prayer that unifies all of Christendom, begins to seem archaic. We require a home base in the midst of this media war in which companies compete to sell automobiles, lipstick, houses, and religion. We require a parish church where we can hear the reality of the Gospel. We require the Eucharist, where we can remain joined with the Lord in the presence of the priests. We must immerse ourselves in the rhythm and truths that are embedded in the Lord's Prayer in order to deepen our spiritual life.

The threats to our faith that we face today do not always manifest themselves as forces of evil. These gospels can take the shape of a partial gospel, a psychologized gospel, a politicized gospel, a self-help gospel, or a gospel that represents the preacher's personality. There are numerous lifestyles that are depicted in the media that can be influenced by this. Learning about the Catechism, the Scriptures, and living a life of prayer can provide an antidote to all of this. The Lord's Prayer, the Scriptures, and the Catechism will serve to keep us close to our roots in the faith.