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I Am Who Am

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I am who am! These simple yet profound words echoed through a cave thousands of years ago and have kept even the greatest theologians questioning.

Thomas Aquinas himself, one of the most influential doctors of the Church, wrote extensively on this subject and only began to scratch the surface of its meaning. What do these profound words spoken from God to Moses mean? Well, what we do know is that they mean that God is existence itself. He is the uncreated creator, that which makes things be, existence itself. Explaining God in relation to other created things does not do justice to Him, and yet this is the way we know to explain.

The Catholic Church calls this a mystery. Not a mystery in the sense that it is hidden or that we can’t know anything, for God has revealed certain things, but a mystery in the sense that it is not fully knowable to us until heaven.

What is fully knowable to us though is that every breath, every life, every gift, everything, even our very existence is due to God. He holds us into being. This should give us a little perspective during this Lenten season. I think we often approach Lent in a negative sense, in the sense that we should give something up or sacrifice something.

While it truly is a time for these things, it is also a time to realize that because we were made and are held into existence by a complete gift, that the only proper response to that gift is to give. We do not get to heaven in a box. Our beautiful faith teaches us that we gain salvation through the relationship with Christ and His sacrifice on the cross. And this salvific relationship is meant to be shared with the world. It is not enough to receive love and have it turn inward, love must turn outward and multiply.

This Lent, I encourage you to sit down for a few minutes and reflect on the words, I am who am. Reflect on what that means in your life and the gifts you have been given. Now, reflect on how you can turn and give. It might be as simple as telling a friend they are loved, or it might be as difficult as standing up for your faith when it is uncomfortable. Either way, don’t let this just be more words you read on a page. Let’s all think of one concrete way we can be a gift this week. Nothing is scarier to Satan than Christians uniting through relationship with Christ, and then sharing that relationship with the world. From all of us here at Diocesan, God Bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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I Have No Help But You

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“God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, blessed are you. Help me, who am alone and have no help but you.” These words still feel as tangible and heartfelt as they must have seemed to anyone who could hear them echo through the halls of the palace where Esther was made queen. Here was a woman of such profound strength because she knew God would grant her what she needed when she needed it. It would have been easy for her to take full credit for her ability to come to the defense of those she loved, but instead she gave full credit to God and relied on him for everything. 

Today, I think one of the major heresies that we struggle with in our modern day is Pelagianism. Named for its author, Pelagius, this is essentially the idea that original sin does not exist and that we can actually live as good Christian people apart from the grace of God. The proverbial, “pull yourself up by your own bootstraps” mentality plagues our culture today as we become more technologically and scientifically advanced. The more money, power, and prestige that we possess, the easier it is to believe that we do not need our creator. And we have been warned what happens when we don’t believe we need a creator anymore. The book of Romans makes it clear that, “they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!” 

How many people do you know in your life who rely more on material possessions and their own ingenuity first and then if there is any room left maybe they throw up a quick prayer or ask for positive vibes? This is one of the reasons that Lent and specifically fasting and almsgiving are so important. When we start to deny ourselves certain things and give up our possessions we start to realize that nothing belongs to us. All is gift. All things have been given to us by God and we are called to be good stewards of the things we have and realize that without God we are nothing. This isn’t to put ourselves down or make it seem like we are no good, on the contrary, when we realize how we were created and who we are loved by, we are very good indeed. But this goodness is due to God, not ourselves. WE STILL NEED HIM. 

During these times of uncertainty, discussions of war have been on everyone’s mind. I don’t think it’s an accident that today’s readings and the state of the world come to us during Lent. It has led me to ask a very important daily question which I encourage all of you to ask during this season. If I were to wake up tomorrow and lose everything except the things I have actively thanked God for, what would be left? 

Are we thanking God for his constant gifts? Are we aware of how he is working in our lives or are we shutting him out with all the noise? Lent is the time to deny ourselves so that we can see our reliance on God and our call to give to others. Let’s try to live by Esther’s example of crying out, “Help me, who am alone and have no help but you.” From all of us here at Diocesan. God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Creation in Chaos

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We are living in a strange time where the order of creation seems to have reversed itself and those things which we once held dear have somehow become less in our hearts, while the things that are less we tend to hold more dear. If we go all the way back to Genesis we can see the progression that God intended, nature first, then animals, and human beings as the crown of creation. All throughout Genesis we hear that God created all things as good and then finally we hear that man is created as very good. 

But look around you today and how often do we treat our pets better than our fellow man? The order seems to have been plunged into chaos. As I ponder over this, I think perhaps the main reason is that animals don’t grapple with sin. When you watch an animal do something monumentally stupid, you aren’t as harsh with them because you know a lot of it was just instinctual. But when a human being does something stupid we tend to be much more judgmental because we can see the freedom and will that was involved in that action. They chose to do wrong on one level or another. 

Some might look at this freedom and see a flaw within the human race, but I prefer to look at it and see it as THE component that allows for us to love. God has created us apart from the rest of the world. We have the ability to choose and though it is that ability that can sometimes get us into trouble, it is also the ability that frees us to make choices of love. To me it makes sense then that this is what Satan wants to attack. One of the very things that sets us apart from the rest of creation and allows us to share in the life of God is terrifying to Satan, so he gets us to believe things like “all human beings are awful since the fall” or that “there is no hope that a free person could be a good person.” 

It’s this mentality that forces us to retreat into the idea that our pets are more safe or more trustworthy or more good, but remember back to Genesis when it was the human being who was declared as very good, apart from the rest of creation. And then we hear this beautiful line from today’s readings, “I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord, but rather in his conversion, that he may live.” God gives us freedom not to laugh at us when we fall and fail, but he gives us freedom so we can choose him and live with him forever. He wants our good. During this time of Lent let’s try to reflect on the fact that God has made us all as set apart and that our actions should reflect who we are, good children of God who are loved. From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Living Witnesses

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The Catholic world has been rocked in recent years by many scandals committed by those ordained to serve their flock. Creating a sort of no-win scenario, conversations tend to balance between outright disgust for our priests or holding them up on a pedestal and believing they can do no wrong. Within this mess of at times unfair judgement and at other times outright clericalism, one will find those humble priests who still live out the whole reason they were ordained, to serve.

In today’s First Reading, there are really two major themes that Peter is communicating to his fellow presbyters, which are still quite applicable today. The first is this notion that priests share in a special way in the glory that has been revealed. The second, is that priests should tend to their flock.

Why do we hold priests in such high esteem? In short, it’s because Jesus has called these men to be witnesses. One of the reasons priests practice celibacy is because they are not just a holy witness of life here on earth, but they live in a way that foreshadows what our life will be like in heaven. They are living, in a sense, the redemption we will all experience at the end of time. I like to describe this fact by using the analogy of eating food. When we eat a meal we immediately taste the goodness of the food, but we don’t receive the fullness of it until we digest it and use it for energy. It’s the same with redemption. We have a taste of redemption now, we long for the fullness of redemption in heaven. Priests then, are an example to us of living the line between both, heaven and earth.

So then the question may be asked, well what if a priest isn’t a good example for us? And here is where the second part of the First Reading comes in. Priests are called to serve. The very way that they are an example to us of the divine is by imitating Christ, the King who came not to be served but to serve. This is not an easy task nor one that should be taken lightly. It becomes even more difficult by the simple fact that we live in a fallen world. I remember when I was discerning the priesthood it became very clear to me how broken men can be who receive the call. It’s not as if you put on that collar and all of a sudden you can do no wrong. So where is all of this going?

The point here is that God has ordained men on this earth to be examples of life in heaven. They ultimately fulfill this reality when they are in service to their flock, just like Jesus was and is. But we also have to be aware of the reality that we live in a fallen world and priests, bishops, and popes are not always going to be perfect. So what is the answer? To me it seems simple, we must believe in the power of prayer and pray ardently for our priests. Instead of towing the line between disgust and worship, let’s pray that our priests will take up the call they have been given and become shining examples here on earth of what it will be like in heaven. A good place to start is the prayer below. From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

Gracious and loving God, we thank you for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments. Help our priests to be strong in their vocation. Set their souls on fire with love for your people. Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom. Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel. Allow them to experience joy in their ministry. Help them to become instruments of your divine grace. We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen.

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Far From Him

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Today we have the classic verse that people sometimes use to say that Jesus doesn’t care about the law as long as you are a good person. Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth, but it does warrant some explanation and critical thinking. 

Last year when my wife and I took a class on the Old Testament it became very clear how important laws were to the people in the ancient near east. If you don’t believe me just read through the book of Leviticus and you will see what I mean. These laws were put in place to bring people back into holiness. 

Now you may be thinking to yourself, why would they need laws? If they only had love, those laws would be obsolete right? In a perfect world the answer is yes, but they were freed from slavery in Egypt and then pretty quickly started worshipping the golden calf. Human beings, you and I included, need a lot of help in order to be holy. 

In the time of the Old Testament this help was given through physical action that God asked them to do (laws) like various cleansing rituals. Today, this help is given to us through grace from the sacraments, still physical actions that communicate spiritual realities. So what does all of this background have to do with today’s reading? Jesus warns the Pharisees that they honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. In other words, they look religious on the outside, but they don’t have a personal relationship. 

We should take note and apply this to our scenario today of the sacraments. When we go to Mass do we just say the words or do we worship God? When we ask to get married in the Church are we trying to make our parents happy or do we want God to be a focal point of our relationship? Let’s be sure that our worship is not empty platitudes, but that we desire an intimate relationship with God in all moments. Then the “laws and rules” become less about what we are doing and more about what God is doing in us. From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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God is Love

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What is love? This question seems to echo through the halls of human history as strongly as the question asked of Jesus by Pilate, “What is truth?” Of course, the answer to both questions is found not in a book, experiment, or set of theories, but rather in a person, namely the person of Jesus Christ.

Ok, that’s cute and all to tell to students in a youth group to help them feel loved, but what does it really mean? We hear in the First Reading today that we can only love because God first loved us. I often try to bring my readers back to the beginning, not because Genesis gives us a purely scientific description of the start of all things, but because it shows us deep theological truths about who we are and who God is.

When reading through the first few chapters of Genesis it is immediately striking that out of all the creation narratives that have been written, and there have been many, Genesis stands apart because it is finally talking about a God who creates out of nothing in an act of pure love. All of the other major creation narratives talk about gods at war or sexual promiscuity as the source of all things, but here God stands apart from all the other pagan beliefs. We hear it in the Gospel of John, “God is love”. John also draws the connection between this God who is love and the Creator in the beginning, they are one and the same. “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God.”

Ok, where am I going with all of this? Let’s think back to that First Reading. We cannot even begin to love unless God first loves us. The Catechism makes the bold claim that, “God is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange.” From the very beginning God is love itself and we were made in the very image and likeness of that same God. We have love in our DNA so to speak, as deep as our bones, and deeper in fact because it resides in our soul.

I think we can often try to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps and white knuckle religious rules and regulations. By that I mean, I think we often think we can do this religion thing on our own. We may have the false belief that we only need God for the really big things. But in today’s readings we are reminded that without God we can’t even love, because we would be rejecting love itself. Rather than living by this pelagian mindset, the heresy that we can do it by our own strength and don’t need God, let’s instead ask for the grace to live according to how we were created in the beginning. Adam and Eve may have lost the grace of God in the fall, but we can get it back through the God who is love who hangs on the cross for us.

During this new year, let’s try to make an effort throughout the day to notice when God is working with his grace. The great tragedy of our time, it seems, is that we can go weeks without ever contemplating how God is working in our lives. Let’s ask for grace to take hold so that we may be loved and in turn may go and love others. From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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The Clock of Salvation

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Welcome to 2022!!! Likely you are exhausted from staying up late to celebrate a new year with your friends and family. This day always brings to mind resolutions, diet programs, calendars, time, and beginnings. Though the secular world sees this as a day for starting anew, the Church sees it as the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. I think all of these themes tie together in a beautiful way through the Second Reading, where we first hear that Jesus became man at the fullness of time.

Have you ever wondered why calendars count time according to roughly the year that Jesus was born? It’s as if even the secular world can’t help but commemorate the importance of that historical event so many years ago. When we read further in Galatians we hear that Jesus is born of a woman. So he comes in the fullness of time and he is born of a woman. There are probably many different ways to interpret that, but the way I see it, the clock of human salvation started ticking the second that Eve took a bite of the apple. The first woman doomed human nature to a life without grace while the “second Eve” said yes to God’s plan for salvation.

All those years in between we wondered and waited at the plan that God had promised throughout the centuries. Time ticked on and many new years came and went, but God’s salvation clock brought us to the simple yes of a woman and the birth of the Savior. He always had the plan, but he waited for the precise moment when, instead of rejecting him, a woman would cooperate with him. Notice that grace, though it is freely given, requires cooperation for it to bear fruit. If we reject grace, God is not going to force us to take it. In the beginning Eve made the choice to fall and in the fullness of time Mary made the choice to say yes to God’s plan for her life.

So I guess the question for today and for the rest of 2022 should be, how are you allowing the grace of God to work in your life? You might have a new diet or exercise plan you are starting or a list of rules you are going to follow this year for your mental health, but what are you going to do in this new year to more fully imitate Mary who gave her yes and accepted the grace that God had to offer? Do you believe, as St. Paul did, that when God became man we became adopted sons and daughters of God? We are not slaves, but sons, and not just sons, but heirs. What are you going to do in this new year to cry out, “Abba, Father!” From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless and Happy New Year!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Divine Teacher

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What do you think of when you hear the word teacher? Do memories rush forward of some great role models in your life who propelled you on the path to success? Maybe you had a negative experience with a teacher at some point. For me, with my wife being a teacher, the word evokes emotions of joy, love, and thankfulness. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the reality is that no teacher can possibly compare to the Divine Teacher, Jesus Christ.

Whenever I am giving a talk on faith I try to remind those listening that whatever I say is all well and good, but the real work happens after they leave, and I have no control over that. This is to say, Jesus is the one who does the work of walking with us day in and day out, guiding us, loving us, and not just being there for a quick 45-minute discussion.

This is precisely why we can call Jesus the Divine Teacher, because he is teaching us at all times, not just during a specific moment of pontification. The First Reading for today sums it up well by saying, “I, the LORD, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go.” With this model of teaching it’s not just about conveying ideas, but it’s journeying with the student to make sure the ideas stick.

In the ancient world there were people known as pedagogues, who would be tasked with tutoring the children of a household, but beyond that they would make sure the teachings that were presented, were lived out in the family. Jesus is the divine pedagogue for us in that he is journeying with us to make sure his teachings are applied to his family.

How is your relationship with the Teacher? Sometimes it can be hard to apply human terms to God because we can have negative experiences with human beings, but how is your relationship with the Divine Teacher? Have you talked lately? Not just about your grades or how much you are able to memorize but have you recently sat down and just enjoyed the presence of Jesus, allowing him into your very heart? If it’s been a while, Advent is the perfect time and if it has been recent, Advent is the perfect time to be present more. More than presents on Christmas we should be asking to be in the presence of Christ. From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Acting Human

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Before we know how to act we must first know who we are. This is a basic philosophical tenet that shaped the thought of great minds such as St. John Paul II. If we look at the world today I think we can pin a majority of the problems, if not all of them, on the fact that we have forgotten who we are and therefore have failed in the ways we act.

Today’s First Reading should have hit you in the face a little with the reality of who we really are. “For God will show all the earth your splendor: you will be named by God forever.” This doesn’t sound like empty words from a distant God, but personal words by a God who loves us and knows us. So the question becomes, what do we do with this type of information?

When we are hit with the reality that we are made by a God who loves us and has created us with unmatched dignity, that must affect the way we act. The bird who is made to fly does not sit and dream about the clouds. Often, faith can become a laundry list of rules and regulations, but more than just avoiding sin, God is calling us to live in virtue.

What’s the difference? Well, virtue is seeking the good. It is to look at every moment in our lives and strive to not only recognize the good, but to do it. This is what is proper to the human person because we are made by God as good. Genesis tells us as much when we hear that we are very good. 

Sin, on the other hand, is a lack of good. This is why it bothers me when people make excuses for sin and say things like, “Well, I’m only human.” It is precisely because you are human that you are called to seek that good and avoid the lack thereof. It is the very fact that we are made in the image and likeness of God that should inspire us to live virtuous lives as opposed to just avoiding evil. This is why St. Augustine could be so bold in saying, “Love and do what you will.” This is not a blanket acceptance of sin or an affirmation to not try, on the contrary, it is a higher calling to love rightly. When we love in the way that God loves, we no longer desire sin as much and we start to seek the good.

During this Advent season, let’s all try to focus on growing in virtue and arriving at Christmas as the types of human beings who when we act like a saint we say, “Well of course, that’s exactly the type of behavior a human being would have, we are made in the image of God after all, and that means something.” From all of us here at Diocesan, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is a Business Development Representative for Diocesan. In this role he is committed to bringing the best software to dioceses and parishes while helping them evangelize on the digital continent. Tommy has worked in various diocese and parish roles since his graduation from Franciscan University with a Theology degree. He hopes to use his skills in evangelization, marketing, and communications, to serve the Church and bring the Good News to all. His favorite quote comes from St. John Paul II, who said, “A person is an entity of a sort to which the only proper and adequate way to relate is love.”

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Asking for Faith

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What even is faith? More than just a blind leap to things we can’t know, faith is an acknowledgement that God is above us and we should trust him in the things he reveals. If the truths of the world are reasonable and we can believe them using logic, philosophy, and science, then faith is supra-reasonable. That is, it is beyond the physical world and allows us to enter into the very life of God. 

 Why so much talk about faith? Well, the Apostles knew how hard it was to believe some of the things Jesus said. In today’s Gospel they are encountered with teachings they may not quite understand. Their response was to pray for more faith. They call out to Jesus and ask him to make their faith stronger. 

 This shows us a couple of things. Sometimes we think that faith relies solely on us. Like we have to work really hard to gain faith and if we work even harder then our faith will grow. But here, it is made clear that having faith at all starts with God. He starts the process of faith. He is the one who makes faith possible for us. On top of that, the Gospel shows that if we ask for faith God is not only faithful but he is super faithful. If we even ask for faith the size of a mustard seed we will be able to do the seemingly impossible. 

So this all leads to a very important question. When was the last time you prayed for and expected faith from God? He is telling us to ask. He wants us to grow in faith every day and wants to bless us with these truths that are beyond the reason we can come to on our own. Do we believe that what Jesus said in this Gospel is true even today? Do we believe that with faith as small as a mustard seed we can do anything? If not, ask for the grace of faith. From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God bless!

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Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and a content specialist for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body Ministry. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

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Love and Law

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Imagine with me for a second the scenario of a group of friends playing soccer on the top of a cliff. The cliff rises high above the treacherous waters below and one slip would cause a fall and certain death. Now, they are free to play the game, but they have the constant fear of falling over the edge. Take this same scenario and add a net around the edges of the cliff. They still have the freedom to play, but one could make the claim that they are even more free because now they do not have the fear of death. 

This is an analogy for why we have laws, either natural or divine. God gives us laws to protect us and to help us to live how we ought. Government should make laws to protect all of those in society. So in today’s First Reading it seems as if Paul is making the claim that laws are not necessary as long as you love. How could this be possible? 

The answer is that Paul is in one sense saying the laws are not needed if you love, because you know how you are to live. But in another sense he sees the necessity of the law because more often than not, we forget to love. This is in line with the tradition of the Church and even St. Augustine who is famous for saying, “love and do what you want.”

Notice the importance of explanation here. Paul and Augustine are clearly not saying we can just be good people and the moral law doesn’t matter. When we are truly loving and living rightly we are already in accord with the law, but instead of being edicts that are pushed on us from without, they well up from within. If we are truly loving we know instinctively not to murder, not to lie, not to gossip etc. These are things that a human being who lives in love would not do. 

This is essentially what it means when we are told to form our conscience. Our conscience should be formed in such a way that what we believe conforms with the truth of how we were made. God’s laws make sense if we accept that he is in control and knows what is best for us. So let’s take a few moments today to focus on how loving it is for God to give us laws to help guide us, but also how the closer we get to God the more we live rightly. From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God bless!

Contact the author

Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and a content specialist for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body Ministry. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

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Words Can Destroy

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Having worked in and out of the Church for most of my life, I can confidently say that parish and diocese offices are a strange mixing pot of some of the holiest and dangerous conversations. What do I mean by that? I think it tends to happen in any job that we have, but people seem to have a tendency to put others down in a way that is not consistent with what they have done. 

Justice, of course, is that hope that all people will be given what they are rightly due. There is a time and a place in the workspace for people to be justly angry that something did not go well or that someone dropped the ball. But justice does not excuse gossip, talking behind someone’s back, or wanting to hurt someone’s reputation. If you are feeling uncomfortable right now because you know you have done those things at different times, join the club. Part of our fallen humanity is that we don’t so much seek justice, but straight up vengeance. 

This kind of mentality can tear an office space apart and it’s exactly what God warns Jonah about in the reading today. Jonah has this anger that God has not yet destroyed Nineveh. I am sure he even convinced himself that he was justified to ask for wrath and blood. But God very simply and gently reminds Jonah that he has no reason to be angry. God has all the reason to be angry but he perfectly balances justice and mercy. 

I think we can learn from this, especially today where our world seems so divided, and always seek to balance justice with mercy. The Catechism defines justice as “the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbor” (CCC 1807). What is every person due no matter what they have done or what sin they have committed? We are all due love, respect, mercy, and the benefit of the doubt. It can be easy to foster anger in our hearts, but God shows us another way. 

Something I have found helpful in this regard is to look at my own faults before I try to tear another person down. That makes it much easier to see the necessity of mercy. The Catechism states “God created us without us: but he did not will to save us without us. To receive his mercy, we must admit our faults. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (CCC 1847). 

Let’s all try to make the active choice this week to pray for those we have spoken badly of, to ask for forgiveness for ourselves, and to pray for those who have wronged us. We don’t want to end up like Jonah after all, face first down the belly of a beast. From all of us here at Rodzinka Ministry, God bless!

Contact the author

Tommy Shultz is the Founder/Director of Rodzinka Ministry and a content specialist for Ruah Woods, a Theology of the Body Ministry. In these roles, he is committed to bringing all those he meets into a deeper relationship with Christ. Tommy has a heart and flair for inspiring people to live their faith every day. He has worked in various youth ministry, adult ministry, and diocesan roles. He has been a featured speaker at retreats and events across the country. With a degree in Theology from Franciscan University, Tommy hopes to use his knowledge to help all people understand the beauty of The Faith.

Feature Image Credit: Kiera Burton, https://www.pexels.com/photo/multiracial-students-gossiping-about-black-man-with-notepad-6147394/