Fall is in the air! With autumn normally comes cooler nights, falling leaves, and back-to-school. But there's nothing "normal" about this year's back-to-school experience. Many classrooms remain empty while students learn remotely. Some students on college campus had classes at first, then quarantined, and are now back at class. Others who arrived are now being sent home to zoom their classes once again.
As Covid 19 continues to wreak havoc with the all that is "normal", September extends an invitation to Praying College Moms to regroup and refocus. Let's remember what really matters and strive live this semester as "A" students!
We begin in this era of "fake news" by discerning what is real and what is counterfeit. How would you answer these questions?
What are the primary characteristics of God? (Name at least 3)
How do I discern right from wrong? In other words, where do I look for truth?
What is my definition of freedom?
Obviously, these are weighty questions, but our answers define who we are and how we live so they're worth pondering deeply. As A. W. Tozer said, "What I believe about God is the most important thing about me."
Counterfeit answers to these questions are prevalent in our culture and sound like this:
God is distant and uncaring. He rules with an iron fist and I am a puppet on a string.
Right and wrong are fluid, dependent on the perspective of the individual.
Freedom is the ability to do whatever you want whenever you want to to do it.
Genuine answers to these questions are rooted in our Catholic faith but we would be foolish to read them, give our assent, and move along. God invites us to internalize them and treasure these truths.
God is all-good, all-wise and all-loving and holds the key to my happiness.
Right and wrong are knowable and absolute. We live by the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes because they reliably lead us to our final goal; to one day become saints, and to bring our family with us through intercessory prayer and good example.
Freedom is the power to act or not to act, and so to perform deliberate acts of one's own. Freedom attains perfection in its acts when directed toward God, the sovereign Good." (CCC 1744) We are free to choose the good. To choose evil merely enslaves us.
All Praying College Moms want to help their children weather these strange times well. Let's do our best by studying alongside them this semester. Let's reinforce our knowledge of God by becoming life-long students of Him through daily prayer, reception of the Sacraments and spiritual reading. (If you're interested in a reading list, send me an email!)