Sacrifice of Body and Mind

“I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”

Romans 12:1-2

Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Through the graces of our baptism, God the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us. We are given to Him as instruments of His will. Set aside by the Sacrament of Baptism as witnesses of the love God has for us all through the profound sacrifice of God’s only Son, Jesus Christ. Called to be witnesses to the world as followers of Christ Jesus. Called as the martyrs to give unconditionally of ourselves for the Glory of God. The word martyr means witness. Those who died for the faith showed profound witness by giving their bodies, like Christ did before them, as sacrifices for the Word of God.

We are called to be martyrs as well. We may never be called to give of ourselves to death but we are called to martyrdom just the same. We are called to die unto ourselves on a daily basis, to offer sacrifices in our daily lives for the Glory of God. We are called to be open to the urgings of the Holy Spirit. We must listen with our hearts and trust that God will show us the way to His will.

“If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater that his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

John 15: 18-20

It is easy to conform to this age. Persons who place God above themselves are ridiculed and called names like “Jesus freak” or “Bible thumper”. I say all Glory to God for this wonderful gift for you are being persecuted by the world for the sake of Christ Jesus. Christ tells us that you are either with Him or against Him. He also tells us that the spirit of this world will reject Him and will hate all those who follow Him just as they hated the one sent by God the Father. Christ challenged the authority of the world when He preached to those around Him. He challenges us today. You cannot serve two masters. The master of this world is Satan. He rules with a loveless iron fist of tyranny and sin. He makes us slaves of sin and death abounds. Christ came as a slave, not a master. He came to set captives free from the shackles of Sin and Death wrought by the original sin of Adam and Eve.

Be not conformed to this age for a culture of death abounds in this world. Abortion, artificial contraception, euthanasia, cloning, fetal stem cell research are the norm in this world and are called enlightenment and progress. Call them what they are which is a trampling of God’s will and His mandate to us to be like Christ. Sex and procreation are not privileges or rights as the culture of this world will tell you. These are gifts of God. Sex is a holy act of two souls perfectly united with God to bring forth life into the world. How many Catholics in this world would think to use the Eucharist as an appetizer at a dinner party? Most I hope, would shudder at the thought of defiling Christ’s real and substantial presence in the Eucharist in such a belittling fashion. We must therefore ask, why do we do this with sex? This is a holy act. Sex is the act of two persons giving of themselves wholly to each other in union with the will of God to bring forth the most precious gift of all which is human life. In this day and age this Holy act is belittled to a self-serving action to bring about pleasure to one person. When this act is performed without consenting to a union with God, it is an abomination.

The world as a whole will undoubtedly scoff at this and call it medieval thinking or the ranting of a dimwitted church going dupe. I myself, like these people, were once blind to this profound truth. We must pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the hearts and open the eyes of all who are blind. Many people are blinded and no position in this world makes you immune. Some Priests, Nuns, and, Bishops in the Church will tell you these things are acceptable. If your conscience has no problem with them then go ahead. We must pray for those who lead the flock astray.

All of these words sound easy when I write them but I can tell you that they are not unless you die to yourself and put your complete trust in God. Even the most holy person who ever lived would fall flat on their faces at the thought that their holiness would make them immune from temptation or deception. The saints were humble before God. They understood that left to their own devices or strengths that they would fail every time. It was only in their humility that they died unto themselves and said, “God, without you I can do nothing, but with you guiding my way all things are possible.” Pride is the root of all sin. Satan’s fall was the first sin of pride. Adam and Eve were proud and scoffed at God’s word. Sin and death entered the universe as a result. Be humble before God and ask Him for the strength to do His will and not our own. We are residents of Heaven passing through this world on the way home.

The Blessed Mother of God, the new Eve, is the perfect example of Humility for us to follow. This is why Christ Jesus gave her to us at the foot of the Cross. “Behold your Mother”, he said to St. John who stood in proxy for all mankind that Good Friday. Humility was God’s gift to her and her gift to us. Her will was perfectly united with that of God. We are called to be perfect like this, to give of ourselves perfectly. To die unto ourselves, and say as Christ did in the garden of Gethsemane, “Father not my will but yours be done”. Trust in Mary and she will lead you to her beloved son, Christ Jesus. She who holds great favor with God will bring you to Him and intercede on your behalf. We are all called to be Saints so pray for a humble spirit and pray that your foot may pass unscathed over the traps set before your path by the evil one. Trust in God. He is our refuge and our only Salvation. Be Christ’s disciple, not the world’s.