Why I Read Father Z's Blog in the Morning
I'm not a big blog follower, but I do read Father Zuhlsdorf's blog most mornings. The "news" stories are sometimes interesting, but I'm more taken by his posts that convey that sensus catholicus that frequently eludes us in our thoroughly secular world. The importance of keeping our hearts and minds imbued with our Holy Faith cannot be exaggerated, and remains a constant challenge for me as I prepare myself for a day of work.
As I've mentioned so many times in the past, work can easily "take over" my life once the day gets going, especially at times when I have important and urgent matters that fill up my day. There's nothing wrong, of course, to attending to business. Indeed, we ought to fulfill the duties of our state of life best we can each day. But when our work consumes us to the degree that God is completely forgotten for long stretches of time, we have to question our priorities. That's why we try to begin our days - from the moment we wake up - with prayer and study in those early and generally more quiet moments that provide a background for quality time with God.
How does Father Z's blog fit into this? Here's an example, as he describes the glory that awaits us in Heaven in the course of a post about the Collect for a recent Sunday:
Our world, so thoroughly secularized, tends to keep our eyes and ears - and therefore our minds - narrowly focused on what can only be described as a pagan culture bereft of the presence of God. What a shame that so many of us virtually drown in the media that the secular world offers to us. So when we come across solid, authentic Catholic media sources - wherever we might find them - don't you think it behooves us to limit or eliminate pagan secular-humanist poison in favor of the rich treasury of the True, the Good and the Beautiful served up by our Holy Faith?
The answer is obvious, I hope. And if people like Father Zuhlsdorf bring us little treasures such as we've seen today, then it also seems obvious that less time glued to the secular media in favor of time spent bathing in the light of our Faith would do us all a great deal of good. Don't you think?
So if you're not already doing so, take some time each morning to open your mind and heart to Our Lord and the teachings of His Holy Church before you step into that hectic world of work that awaits you, perhaps with the help of good Catholic media like that found on Father Zuhlsdorf's blog. And with a little practice, and God's grace, you'll see your efforts rewarded as that time of preparation spills over into the busy day ahead, helping you to sanctify your work for His greater glory.
As I've mentioned so many times in the past, work can easily "take over" my life once the day gets going, especially at times when I have important and urgent matters that fill up my day. There's nothing wrong, of course, to attending to business. Indeed, we ought to fulfill the duties of our state of life best we can each day. But when our work consumes us to the degree that God is completely forgotten for long stretches of time, we have to question our priorities. That's why we try to begin our days - from the moment we wake up - with prayer and study in those early and generally more quiet moments that provide a background for quality time with God.
How does Father Z's blog fit into this? Here's an example, as he describes the glory that awaits us in Heaven in the course of a post about the Collect for a recent Sunday:
God will share His gloria with us in Heaven. We will be transformed by it, made more radiant as the images of God we were meant to be. Our contact with God in the sacraments and liturgical worship advances the transformation which will continue in the Beatific Vision. "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into his likeness from one degree of glory to another (a claritate in claritatem); for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”As I slowly wake up, with my first cup of Mystic Monk coffee (an excellent product I learned about on Father Z's blog!), before I have to get ready in earnest for a busy day at work, I make sufficient time for prayer, meditation and study of our Holy Faith. Those first moments of the day, in the quiet of the morning before the rest of our household comes alive, are most precious moments. And if you read Father Z's remarks here, you may understand what is meant by sensus catholicus. You won't find it, I suspect, in either your work or in most of your other interactions during the day.
Our world, so thoroughly secularized, tends to keep our eyes and ears - and therefore our minds - narrowly focused on what can only be described as a pagan culture bereft of the presence of God. What a shame that so many of us virtually drown in the media that the secular world offers to us. So when we come across solid, authentic Catholic media sources - wherever we might find them - don't you think it behooves us to limit or eliminate pagan secular-humanist poison in favor of the rich treasury of the True, the Good and the Beautiful served up by our Holy Faith?
The answer is obvious, I hope. And if people like Father Zuhlsdorf bring us little treasures such as we've seen today, then it also seems obvious that less time glued to the secular media in favor of time spent bathing in the light of our Faith would do us all a great deal of good. Don't you think?
So if you're not already doing so, take some time each morning to open your mind and heart to Our Lord and the teachings of His Holy Church before you step into that hectic world of work that awaits you, perhaps with the help of good Catholic media like that found on Father Zuhlsdorf's blog. And with a little practice, and God's grace, you'll see your efforts rewarded as that time of preparation spills over into the busy day ahead, helping you to sanctify your work for His greater glory.
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