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Why Bother with this Christianity Stuff?

Why Bother with this Christianity Stuff?

Why bother with Christianity? Or Catholicism? The things taught to us by the Church or are in Scripture? Why trouble ourselves? All the rules and regulations, the things you must do and can’t do. The things you have to give up, to sacrifice, to maybe go to Heaven…why bother?

It would appear that much of the world isn’t buying into Christianity. A quick internet search indicates that:

  • Roughly 31% of the world’s population is Christian, (2.3 of 7.3 billion people), meaning almost 70% is not

  • Islam comes in #2 at 23%.

In the United States, our numbers have been decreasing rapidly, especially upon entrance into the 21st century, where a recent Gallup poll found that church membership fell 20 percent in the past two decades. These numbers are pre-COVID. Further, 1/4 of American adults now say their faith is “none”…the ratio is 1/3 among those under 30. Although Christianity isn’t what it used to be in the US, it’s far worse in Europe and Canada, where many Churches are looked at more as museums.

We live in a post-Christian world. To be sure, secularism is dominating our society. While far fewer people are into their faith, many are hostile towards it. The question is “why”. What wasn’t working. What has changed?

Photo by taryn fry from Pexels

Although not new, there seems to be more of a hyper-focus on the things that will supposedly make us happy….none of them rooted in Christianity. I refer to them as the 4 Ps…prominence (including power), possessions (including wealth and money), pleasure, and people (using them, not authentic friendship). Many of us pursue these things on an endless cycle. I like the visual of the hamster on the wheel in a glass cage:

  • You can’t make the wheel go any faster

  • You’re not sure if anyone…

    • Sees you on the wheel

    • Is on the wheel with you

    • Will catch you if you fall off the wheel

  • You’re watching the world go by around you

  • You’re exhausted, deflated, and frustrated

  • You’re overwhelmed

Not only are we overwhelmed, but we’re not happy…not most of us. We’re chasing, chasing, chasing, looking for something, anything, to fill the God sized hole in the center of our chests.

So to revisit our initial question, “why bother with this Christianity stuff”? The answer is simple. Our Christian faith, our belief in Jesus, is the ONLY source of true and long-lasting happiness that any of us will ever experience.

Never wanting to violate my 600-word cap on these blogs, suffice to say that I don’t have the space here to lay it all out. That said, most of the world, including significantly increasing numbers of us in the United States, just doesn’t get it. As it says in Scripture, “Jesus is the way”. As it turns out, He’s the only way.

How do I know? I experienced it firsthand. I spent my early adult life, into my mid-40s, chasing the 4 Ps. I was on the hamster wheel…exhausted, deflated, and frustrated. Not only was I overwhelmed, but I most certainly wasn’t happy.

Then something happened. I found Jesus in my life. I came to understand and internalize His unconditional love and forgiveness, learning that as such:

  • The unimaginable is achievable

  • There can be Heaven here on earth

  • There is a specific path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment

The 4 Ps didn’t cut it for me and they won’t cut it for you. It’s Jesus and our Christian faith, which is the only way you’ll find the happiness (peace, joy, and fulfillment) that you’ve so desperately been seeking.

As always, please contact me at [email protected] with questions, comments, concerns, challenges or prayer requests.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph

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Serenity Now

My favorite sitcom of all time is Seinfeld. My wife and I continue to watch the occasional rerun. I think it’s the greatest writing in the history of television. The cast was second to none. I once heard that part of the brilliance of the show was Jerry Seinfeld’s insistence that all of his costars share in getting the funny lines and the meaningful scenes….they weren’t just reserved for him.

One such example was George’s father, Frank Costanza, as part of one of his many crazed scenes over the sitcom’s history. He screamed, “serenity now, serenity now”.

Although I posted on “serenity” March 27th, 2019 (in a much shorter blog), it came to mind this past week. I don’t know about you, but given what’s going on in our country, as exemplified by the election, I feel like screaming, “serenity now!!!”


Photo by Tim Gouw from Pexels

Dictionary.com defines serenity as the state or quality of being serene, calm, or tranquil. Serenity, synonymous with “peace” is important. I’d suggest praying the Serenity Prayer regularly in your life. I do. As identified previously in my posts, it is one of five rote prayers I say every morning. I say each very slowly, hanging on and praying through every word. I’d invite you to do the same.

The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
As it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
If I surrender to His Will;
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life
And supremely joyful with Him
Forever and ever in the next.

Amen.

The breakdown of the above is as follows:

  • The first four lines ask for God’s help in maintaining the serenity within us, distinguishing between what we can control and not, then giving us the courage to take action.
  • The second part of the prayer is a recipe for how we ought to live our lives, such that we can experience happiness here on earth and joy thereafter.

You may feel compelled to act, given what’s transpiring in our country. Or it might be something else in your life that you need to discern. Pray the Serenity Prayer. It helps me…it can help you too.

 As always, feel free to reach out to me at [email protected], with questions, comments, concerns, challenges, or prayer requests. I’m here to help…seriously!!!

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph

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Weekly Blog

Donald Trump Isn’t Jesus Christ; Neither is Joe Biden

It’s the day after our 2020 election. As you might imagine, I wrote this blog several days ago and if I had to guess, we still don’t know who our president will be for the next four years. Given the division within our country, i.e. the election, COVID, race issues, the riots, hopefully we can start experiencing some healing…God Bless America!!!

In the 2+ years that I’ve been writing these blogs, the most ever opened was “Tom Brady Isn’t Jesus Christ”. My point there was the emptiness of the false gods that so many of us are victim to, whether people, possessions, prominence, or pleasures.

The point is different here. So often, people put so much emphasis on what takes place in our world or our country and the impact it’s going to have on them. It is often looked at as “make or break”, extremely positive or extremely negative. Examples might be climate change, the economy, immigration, or world affairs. The presidential election is a good example, where we look to one candidate or another as our savior, the one to save the world from its woes, to save us individually. Neither Donald Trump nor Joe Biden is Jesus Christ.

Don’t get me wrong; I strongly believe that there’s one political philosophy that makes much more sense for the United States and its citizens…the same philosophy that is more consistent with the teachings of the Church. That said, I don’t see either presidential candidate as the “be all and end all”, nor either political philosophy. That’s because I know my “why” and I know my “who”. I know there’s something greater!!!


Photo by Alem Sánchez from Pexels

There’s Something Greater

Let’s start with the latter first. I know that I’m a beloved child of God, made in His image and likeness, made by Him with special talents, designed for a specific purpose. I know joy and fulfillment, while living the path to peace, which is surrender, gratitude, humility, and love.

My “why” is straight forward, as identified in the Great Commandments and Great Commission, Matthew 22:37-39 and Matthew 28:19-20, respectively. Paraphrasing, my “why”, like yours’, is to love God, love my neighbor, and to share the good news of the Gospel.

Here’s the thing…while our country, our world has limits (they will come to an end), you and I are eternal beings. By embracing our “who” and “why”, not only do we have the opportunity to change lives, but we can change eternity. There’s something much greater!!!

As I’ve stated in previous posts, you don’t have to be in ministry to do ministry. You don’t have to work for the Church to realize your “who” and “why”. Here’s two of many things I’ve come to know as very true:

  • Authentically embracing your “who” and your “why” is the only Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment
  • If each of us as individuals truly are the best we can be (Great Commandments and Great Commission), the world is going to be just fine

Politics is important. Elections have an impact. But there’s something greater…and it all starts with you!!!

Happy to help you on your journey, including any of the above. Please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected], with questions, comments, concerns, challenges or prayer requests.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph

Categories
Weekly Blog

What’s Happened to Integrity in our Society?

In last Wednesday’s blog, I noted about my weekly message…“Although topics are varied, I typically write about what is on my heart and mind for that week, often related to current events, always tied back to the faith and our loving God”. In praying this morning, thinking about what’s been occurring in our country, the Lord put the word “integrity” on my heart.

Dictionary.com defines integrity as adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty; the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished; a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition.

Doing a search for a Catholic definition of integrity, I found the following on CatholicCulture.com. Integrity is honesty or trustworthiness. The quality of being virtuous. Wholeness of character without duplicity or internal conflict of interests.

I assume that everyone agrees, whether a believer or not, significantly committed to our faith or not, that integrity is a good thing. No one wants to be in relationship with a habitual liar or someone of bad character. Liars don’t even want to be with other liars (unless they are complicit in the same lie) because they can’t trust one another.

Photo by Andrew Neel from Pexels

My Past Struggle with Integrity

I don’t know about you, but there were times in my life, more than I’d like to recall, where I didn’t act with integrity. I wasn’t virtuous or of good character. I wasn’t truthful, lying to others and if I’m truthful (no pun intended) lying to myself. Some of those instances were almost accidental while others were premeditated, requiring planning and intent. It was at a time in my life when it was all about me, myself, and I. It pains me to say that focus on me and my desires, caused me to act with malice at times, hurting others along the way. Reflecting, I am deeply saddened and sorry for my actions. 

I can also recount times when dealing with others who had no integrity, at least in the moment or the circumstance. Like me, I’m sure some of it was accidental while at other times it was the norm. I recall not only being hurt, but losing trust. Without integrity, without truth, we can’t function. Life doesn’t work.

Broader Role of Integrity

Although I have very strong political views, those that (like you) I believe are consistent with my faith, I’ve never published a single word on politics. I’ve never expressed my political views or affiliation on this platform…because I’ve not wanted politics to get in the way of what I consider to be an incredibly important message…that is the love of Jesus Christ.

It’s not my intent to become political here either. That said, with all that’s going on in our country, i.e. COVID-19, continued shutdowns, issues related to kids going back to school, racial divide, numerous ongoing riots, immigration, economic issues, Russia, China, mail-in voting, an upcoming presidential election, and the resulting political division…..truth matters. Integrity matters. It really does.

Without truth, we can’t trust. Without integrity, there is no moral character. No moral compass. As I indicated two weeks ago, Satan’s primary strategies are division, deception, diversion, and discouragement. Lack of integrity (or truth) is just another way of saying “deception” and “diversion”. And as quoted from Matthew 12:25 in that August 26th blog, “a house divided against itself will not stand”. Satan loves dividing us.

It’s not my objective here to tell you how to vote. I do suggest being very discerning with what you believe. The dis-information that we have in our society today, the lack of truth and integrity that exists, is literally sinful, and I don’t say that lightly.

Knowing that I’m a beloved child of Christ (that won’t sound strange if you’re a frequent reader of this blog), I believe that all the answers to life (as you’ve heard me say before) are offered to us by the Church and in Scripture. When it comes to truth and integrity, I would suggest we look to our Savior, Jesus Christ, in addition to Church teachings and Scripture. If we are the Christians that we’re called to be, our world view and our lives will reflect all three.

Please feel free to send me a note at [email protected] pertaining to your comments, questions, concerns, needs, or prayer requests.

God Bless you on your Path to Peace, Joy, and Fulfillment!!!

Mark Joseph