Confusion, half-truths, euphemisms (” sugar-coated lies”), heresies, deceit and trickery— the world today is full of all of the above! However, there are major errors that have to be addressed and conquered! Let us unmask a few of the most common but pernicious errors in the modern world!
1. MATERIALISM. Many today are convinced that true happiness can be found in “Having”
possessing, accumulating, buying, storing up for the future. Jesus, born in the stable in Bethlehem, Jesus exercising the office of carpenter, Jesus spending 40 days and 40 nights in the desert, Jesus, who said that the foxes have their holes and the birds of the air have their nests, preached frequently and lived a totally different life! He challenges all of us with these words: “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” Also, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and everything else will be given you…” The richest man and the poorest man end up in the same place: 6 feet beneath the ground. Be truly rich: ENTHRONE JESUS AS KING OF YOUR HEART!
2. HEDONISM. Another false philosophy! Ascribes that true happiness can be found in pleasure. Pleasure indeed is a god! “You have one life to live: live it up! Enjoy life! Once again, Jesus thunders lightning bolts demolishing this belief, in the Parable of Lazarus and the Rich man. (Lk. 16). The rich man ate, drank, feasted splendidly— every day was like Thanksgiving! He dressed in fine purple linen. A stark contrast to Lazarus, the poor man outside the gate, with gaping wounds licked by the dogs, longing to eat the scraps that fell from the Rich man’s table. Both died! The “Hedonistic rich man”, found himself cast into the fiery abyss, no relief and no escape! His eternal destiny of damnation resulted from embracing the god “Hedonism” which blinded him from seeing Jesus present in the poor!
3. ATHEISM. The denial that God exists. A rapid growing “non-religion”, often generated by materialism and hedonism. Why? If money, pleasure, comfort, are all at finger-tips and I am not plagued with problems, I need no God! Modern politics, education, economics tend to blot God out as an archaic relic of the past! “There are no atheists in foxholes!” Sometimes the Good Lord, in His infinite love and divine providence, sends excruciating pain and suddenly to rip off the blinders from atheistic eyes! Remember Sept 11, 2001! For a week after, the churches– catholic, protestant, and others– were packed! God knows how to deal with doubters!
4. MORAL RELATIVISM. Pontius Pilate cried out to Jesus: “What is the truth?” When in deed, “The Truth” stood 60 inches from his nose! Today, many, far too many, have fallen into the quicksand of “Moral Relativism”. That is to say, they state that there is no such thing as “Absolute Truth.” Rather, truth is subject to change. As the Greek philosopher Herodotus asserted, “All is in a state of perpetual flux.” Also termed “Situation Ethics”, “Cafeteria Catholicism”— pick and choose what you want to be the truth. The reigning Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, coined an immortal phrase, summing it all up with these words: “The Dictatorship of moral relativism”. To overcome this pernicious, poisonous and lethal philosophy, one simple remedy: humility and obedience! We must humbly submit to the Holy Father and his teaching because it is the Holy Spirit that speaks through the Pope.
5. EXAGGERATED PROLIFERATION OF HUMAN SEXUALITY. Bombardment from every corner of the indecent, impure image, t.v., magazine, Internet, movies—to live a life of purity is indeed a major challenge! The woman has become, for all too many, an object to be exploited, rather than a person to be respected, honored and loved in the Lord. Pope John Paul II in his “Theology of the Body” clearly enunciates this error! Either the woman is treated as a mere object to be lusted after, exploited, and used and then discarded, or she will be respected, honored, cherished and loved as created in the image and likeness of God, as temple of the Trinity! Our saving grace? Knowledge, devotion, love, and imitation for Mary the Mother of God. Mary is the “Masterpiece of Creation” and as “Mother and Teacher” will instruct us gently but firmly in the beauty of our creation, our purpose in life and our eternal destiny– to contemplate the Beatific vision of God. May Our Lady, Virgin most pure, attain for us the grace to live out the Beatitude: “Blessed are the pure of heart, they will see God.” (Mt 5:8)
