A Sunday Morning Thought to Start the Week Off

I'm taking off this whole weekend: no work, just rest and recreation. Since I've been averaging 6 1/2 days of work per week since the start of the summer, it's feeling a bit strange, albeit also a relief. For good reasons, that regimen lasted the entire summer and now it's fall, the first full day of fall - a fresh, crisp, sunny morning to start things off. So here I am with a few more (unaccustomed) moments on my hands, hence this quick post before getting to Mass.

While listening to Faust on WQXR’s (our local classical radio station) broadcast of the San Francisco Opera yesterday, the singing struck me as simply superior, wonderful, moving, all in a way I hadn’t experienced before, after years of listening to and attending live performances of opera. How can opera not be more popular? Then again, how can seeking and knowing the True, the Good and the Beautiful not be more important to people - especially this person (me) who’s had every opportunity to live a much better life than he has?

Which leads somehow in to living without compromise. And not living without compromise in an obnoxious, oppressive manner, but cheerfully and with the inner peace that comes from knowing and loving Christ above all things. And that leads to the thought that any compromise, any variance from thinking, saying and doing what is true, good and beautiful just wastes precious moments, those few that are given to each of us in our journey through this valley of tears.

This living without compromise probably makes sense to really good Catholics who live really good lives. But it's not something that's been so obvious to me until recently (draw your own conclusions). I think, though, it's going to be important for us Catholics, more important than ever, to live our faith without compromise. The forces of secularism simply won't leave us alone. And after decades of attempting to "fit in" to American culture we remain the primary target of those who won't tolerate Christ's real presence in this world (never mind His Real Presence on the altar).

But, as I said, the thought of living without compromise in the face of those who would prefer we just go along or shut up doesn't come easily to me, so this comment from Bishop John Wu (fifth bishop of Hong Kong) provided some comfort and fortification for me in my newly minted determination:

“With Christ, there is peace even in war. Without Christ, there is war even in peace. With Christ, the poor are rich. Without Christ, the rich are poor. With Christ, adversity is sweet. Without Christ, prosperity is bitter. With Christ, the ignorant are wise. Without Christ, the wise are fools. With Christ, life is a prelude to Heaven. Without Christ, life is a prelude to hell.”