I came across an entry in my 2023 journal that is so pertinent today.

Fr. Keller, O.P., wrote in A Year with the Eucharist, day 223, “It is possible to become so engaged with the material world that we begin to see ourselves as primarily, or even only, our bodies. Some forget about the life of the soul, which is the life of the body. The soul, like the body, needs nourishment to attain to its supernatural end. Without it, we will starve to death supernaturally.”

Wow! It is possible to become so engaged, so one-way focused with the material world and our comforts that we begin to take the things of God for granted, beginning to tweak them to better fulfill our sensual pleasures, allowing them to slip through our hands. We begin to see the things of the world as reality and take our eyes off beauty, goodness, and truth to focus on the counterfeits.

We begin to see good as evil and evil as good. What is right and proper becomes blurred. I am Catholic, but…. When truth is proclaimed, ouch, it stings and we try to do away with the source of our discomfort. We become so influenced by ourselves, the culture we live in, and our lifestyle choices that we subtly form our own religion and convince ourselves we are still Catholic. We fudge on the truths of our faith, because they aren’t all that important. A sure tail example of this is when we believe that the Eucharist is merely a symbol. We come forward and receive “it” and walk away with no grace and unchanged. We are supernaturally starving and we don’t even notice the signs of our failing and our straight lining. We have become more enamored with ourselves.

Because we are so engaged with the material world, we have rejected the true faith. We are easily deceived. We no longer have the parameters God has given to protect us because the world says they cramp our freedom. We have dulled our consciences and walk in a spiritual fog. We seek to live in our own little fantasy world when in fact, we are spiritually dying, starving our souls. We have become supernatural zombies.

What is the remedy? Jesus. There has never been a time in the history of the world that Jesus has literally walked across a nation in His Real Eucharistic Presence. The pilgrims walking with Jesus in the National Eucharistic Procession, is a watershed moment for our country and Church. This has become a major turning point for us as Catholics in this country. The sad thing is that most Catholics have no clue what just happened.

We are to be so engaged in Jesus that we again see Him as primary and the life of our soul. Our soul needs nourishment to attain to its supernatural end. Without it, we will starve to death supernaturally. We need the Holy Spirit to stir up again His fire within us.

For Reflection:

How does what I am engaged in affect my soul?  Do I notice hints of being a supernatural zombie? What do I do to nourish my supernatural life? How important is it? Is it important enough to make it important enough to make it a priority in my life right now?

Prayer:

O Sacred Heart of Jesus, truly present in the Holy Eucharist, I consecrate anew my body and soul to be one with Your Heart being sacrificed at every instant on the altars of the world. Nourish my soul with Your presence and help me to engage in Your supernatural life.

(blogged August 1, 2024)
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