At some point or another we all wrestle with God. It’s just part of our Israelite nature to do so, and for a season it is necessary to wrestle with God just so that we can figure out that He always wins in the end. Yet, mature faith in the Triune God is about realizing that Cooperating with God is our far better portion in this life. And to have the spirit of cooperation is matter of prayer, humility, and trust.

This Magnanimous Quad Presence of Christ Jesus is only present at the Sacrifice of the Mass, and inescapably so. Essentially, everywhere we turn at the Mass – there Christ is; and there He is in a way that is perceptible to every single one of our five senses.

Catholicism is actually the first and last religion that truly believes in the reality of a Present and Visible God, and where that belief is actually brought to life is at the Sacrifice of the Mass. And it absolutely doesn’t matter what type of liturgy you participate in – whether Eastern or Western, Latin or Novus Ordo – the Real Presence of God is not only on display and becomes real food at Mass, but the entire liturgy itself is geared and directed towards bringing the most out of that Divine Encounter.

There is nothing more beautiful than the Catholic Mass. I’m a fan of beauty – a fan of symmetry, color, and proportion, but I have yet to find anything of the flesh or of the world that comes a billion miles close to matching the beauty of the Mass. If you have been a rote Catholic or a confused non-Catholic, just pay attention to how the Mass is a Divine encounter with holy spaces, things, and people from the beginning to the end at the Latin Rite Mass.

The Ark of the Old Covenant contained the Decalogue (which is the Law/Word), a Pot of Manna (which was the bread from Heaven that sustained the life of the Hebrews during the Exodus), and Aaron’s Rod (which budded and convicted those who were grumbling against Moses). The Ark of the New Covenant, who is the Virgin Mary, contained Jesus (the Word of God and the Bread of Life – the new Manna from Heaven), and the Holy Spirit (which is Truth that convicts us).

Despite common misconceptions – true love actually does cares enough to care. True loves does judge. True love is not apathetic. True love is not timid. True love does not allow sin to triumph over its object of love without a fight. True love doesn’t walk past a person dying without trying to aid them. True love desires you to be in Heaven – not in Hell – and will sacrifice anything to get you there. Therefore, if you have people in your life who are not judging you, but are just letting you commit all types of immorality without telling you are wrong, and not encouraging you to do better, then what you have in your life are people who do not truly love you, or who do not know how to love you as they ought.

Altogether the popular phrase ‘We are Church’ has no place in Christianity; simply because it is absolutely linear and fails to reflect or embody the total sum of teaching from Christ Jesus and the Apostles about what the Church actually is.

I’ve actually met a few people who are arrogant or blind enough to tell me that God is done conforming them to image of Christ Jesus – that, right now, they are just as holy and loving as our Lord; that essentially they are sinless and don’t sin.

Of the many pleasures in this life for us to have, there is no sinful pleasure or choice that is worth spending eternity in Hell for. Indeed, just as Hell is a decision, so is Heaven a decision, and there is nothing in this life more important to fight for than eternal life with God – anything less would be Hell.

Only you know your relationship with Jesus, so do not accept the judgment of anyone who is basing it off of your external gestures and appearance; for, God sees your heart and man cannot. And don’t be ashamed, scandalized, or embarrassed to receive it in the hand just because you heard that it isn’t proper.

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