We take a look at what the Catechism teaches about the Church in relation to political communities. Every institution has their own vision of what it means to be human, which shapes their policies. Because the Church knows the truth, that every person is made in the image and likeness of God, the Church must weigh in to ensure that the dignity of the human person is at the forefront of political decisions and policies. Today’s readings are Catechism paragraphs 2244-2257.
Don’t Let FOMO Ruin Your Christmas! – Matthew Kelly
28 Obstacles to Having Your Best Christmas Ever
“It’s harder than you might think to have a great Christmas, and it’s much easy to ruin your Christmas.
28 ways to make this your best Christmas ever will be the topic this Advent beginning November 27. Between now and then, we are discussing 28 obstacles that will prevent you from having your best Christmas ever and 28 gifts and who to give them to.
There are of course plenty of very obvious ways to ruin Christmas for yourself and everyone around you. Examples include…
Insist on talking about politics.
Tell your relatives what you really think about them as if it were objective fact.
Re-wrap a gift someone gave you last year and regift it to the same person who gave it to you.
Try to control everything and everyone.
Tell every kid you meet that Santa isn’t real and that their parents are lying to them.
There are the obvious ways… but we are going to explore the more subtle ways we sabotage our own Christmas experience and rob others of Christmas joy.
Obstacle #1 is… FOMO. Fear of missing out.
This is one of the greatest pieces of modern insanity. FOMO. The reality is you miss out on almost everything. The important thing is not to miss out on the things God created and intended just for you.
Focus on what matters most and don’t worry about what you may or may not miss out on. If you focus on what matters most, what you miss out on is irrelevant. So get clear about what matters most.
Find your joy. Guard your joy. Follow your joy. Not just happiness. It seems our culture has confused happiness with comfort, and following comfort will lead you to misery. Find your joy. Cherish your joy. Guard your joy. And follow your joy.
Today’s gift… The Rhythm of Life. Who should you give it to this Christmas? Anyone experiencing a transition in life… high school and college graduates… engaged couples, newlyweds, new parents… anyone experiencing a transition in their career, loss of a job or new job… and anyone who is experiencing divorce, retirement, or moving to a new city.
Most people can’t remember what they got for Christmas two years ago. This Christmas give life-changing unforgettable gifts.”
Is it just us, or does the world seem a bit divided right now?
Human beings were not only created with a unique purpose, but also created to live in community. However, there are two things that can disrupt this call: division and distraction. Why these two? Well, distractions are things that take us away from a given task or goal, taking us away from living with a purpose. Likewise, division takes away from living in community with those around us.
The twentieth century brought with it innumerable inventions of distraction: things like television, radio, computers, etc. All of these products are great innovations that have moved us forward in our abilities to create community and showcase our unique strengths, but they’ve also put distraction at our fingertips.
It’s not just technology that has caused distractions either. We can become distracted by virtually anything: chores, work, leisurely activities. But when we’re distracted, we’re held back from the task at hand, and the ongoing task for all of us is to live in community, and live with purpose.
What does that mean for something like politics? Well, if you’re American, you basically have two political responsibilities as an American citizen: educate yourself well on the politics in your country, and vote whenever elections come around. Anything other than those two tasks are distractions from the purpose of politics.
When it comes to division, our country has definitely had its fair share. So how do we fight against this division that seems to be splitting our country? Through conversation and through kindness. We’re called to be united in community with those around us, so much so that Jesus refers to them as our brothers and sisters. Division won’t be conquered easily, but if we’re willing to converse, listen, and treat each other with kindness, we can get a couple strides closer to the community God desires for us.
If the media has you confused about what should be informing your vote, inform your conscience with over 2,000 years of Church teaching. Read Clear Conscience: A Catholic Guide to Voting (http://tinyurl.com/y3ejf2xj) and get ready to vote!
