Tag: Veronica Alvarado

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As I was preparing writing this, my sister left me inspiration in a voicemail. Her words were:

“Today in religion class, they told us to put down our phones and interact. The importance of interaction. And I have to admit, that’s something you definitely taught me. When you’re in situations, you won’t hide by taking out your phone. If someone is there, you’ll be polite, talk to them, and allow them to interact with you rather than shutting yourself off.”

As my brother says, I was shooketh. First of all, can we talk about the fact that someone had to force these kids to socialize without a phone? I knew technology has taken over, but can you even imagine? That blew my mind. The second reason I’m surprised is that a recurring conversation that I have with my boyfriend embodies the complete opposite of what my sister said about me. He says that I am becoming the type of person who is always on their phone and needs to constantly be entertained. The worst part was that when he first brought it up, I couldn’t even deny it.

Still, I know both my sister and my boyfriend are right. I AM the kind of person that loves to interact with people. I love the small talk, the heart-to-hearts, the “so what do you do for fun” conversations with strangers. Sadly, I am quickly becoming the kind of person that placates themselves with their cell phone to avoid looking or feeling awkward, and that makes me so disappointed in myself. And disappointment, as we all learned as children, feels a lot worse than anger.

With today’s technological advancements, we are able to connect with more people than any past generation. Yet today’s generation isn’t doing too hot. Just checking social media (yes, from my phone) on World Mental Health Day was enough to make me realize how many of us feel alone, anxious, or depressed.

You see, when we are constantly on our phones, we close ourselves off to the world. Our phones, literally communication devices, cut off communication before it can even begin. Even when we put it in our pockets, we know we aren’t giving others 100% of our attention because we are thinking about checking our phones.

So we have to ask ourselves: How can we feed the hungry or shelter the poor or clothe the naked or invite the stranger or look after the sick when we are too engrossed in our phones to even see them around us? How can we call ourselves a proper disciple of Christ if we cannot even give the people in our lives the love and attention that they need?

We can’t.

So if you are reading this on your phone, finish this paragraph then put it down. Put it away. Yes, there will be a brief panic, but I encourage you to embrace it. Embrace the silence of your life. Embrace the stillness of your life. Just breathe. Give yourself 15-30 minutes without the worry of emails, of missed calls, and of texts. Give yourself freedom from the constant stress of missing out. Moreover, take this time to experience the world that God set in front of you. Talk to the people made in his image. If there’s no one around, then talk to God. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Jesus sent them in pairs. In today’s Gospel, he sent them in pairs to go out the cities he would later visit. He essentially told them to bring nothing but their faith. He also knew full well that it would not be easy because he said: “I am sending you like lambs among wolves.”

Our world today is full of wolves. So where is our buddy? If Jesus sent them in pairs, why am I alone?

You feel alone because you choose to be alone due to insecurities and you shouldn’t.

I personally struggle with this a lot, so don’t think that it’s easy for me to say these things. Quite frankly, these blog articles are just as much for me as they are for you, the reader. When Jesus said to let the children come to me, he did not say “oh, but only if they are perfect,” because he knows that we have flaws. When he embraces us, he embraces them and tells us to come as we are.

A couple of months ago, I confided in my friend about my history of depression/anxiety and she reminded me that self-doubt is the work of the devil. As I said, Jesus knows our flaws and still loves us, so why are we afraid of who we are? If the only person that can truly judge us can accept us, then why are we–no, why am I–so scared to be myself?

So when Jesus sends them in pairs, like lambs among wolves, He gives them faith and each other. He does not send them alone. In Genesis, Adam is given Eve. Likewise, we should not blindly cling to our pride or independence throughout our lives just because we think we will be judged. We were not put on earth to be alone, otherwise, we would be. I don’t doubt that God has the power to isolate each of us, but he chose not to.

To clarify, I am not saying that as a woman, you need a man and as a man, you need a woman. What I am trying to say is that we are not on this planet alone, so we should act accordingly. You can be independent and still want someone to share your life with. It doesn’t need to be a significant other. It can be a sibling or a friend. Regardless, you alone have the choice to bring people into your life or keep them out.

Bring faith into your life because life is hard. Keep faith in your life because it provides hope and peace. Similarly, we should invite people into our lives because life is hard. Keep people in your life because you are not alone. Even as we sit alone in our cars on the drive to work, we have our guardian angel, we have Jesus, we have God, we have the Holy Spirit, all waiting for us. We can find each of them in the people around us, but first, we have to set aside our Satan-inspired pride and insecurities.

So, today, set aside your pride and share your life with someone. Share your struggles and feel that sigh of relief knowing you are accepted. When someone shares their struggles with you, take a step to accept others as Jesus accepts them. Embrace their conversation and try to understand their struggles. Better yet, begin to accept yourself as he does, because everyone feels alone.

But we don’t have to; he is with us.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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My Catholic faith has taught me more than any teacher, parent, or person ever has! Aside from the obvious “good morals,” Catholicism has taught me the value of family and friendship. It has taught me humility. More than anything, it has taught me how to love and how to be loved by following in Christ’s footsteps to become a more compassionate person.

Being compassionate isn’t easy. In fact, if I’m being perfectly honest, it sucks.

I consider myself extremely empathetic, meaning I am very sensitive to the emotions of people around me. The emotions of people around me weigh heavily on me and will even influence my own emotions. It is a genuine extension of compassion that goes beyond “oh, that’s good” and “man, that must be hard.”

For example, last week I was stopped by a train for a couple of minutes. The woman in the car behind me was crying. Like, chest heaving, ugly crying, inaudible sobs. And it broke my heart. I wanted to go to her and tell her that whatever it was, whatever she was going through, she would be okay.

So I did.

And it was awful.

Because with at least another 50 train cars to go, I put my car in park, got out, walked over to her door, and tapped on her window. When she rolled her window down, all I said was, “I’m sorry. You don’t know me, but I know that you’ll be okay.” She hiccupped, still crying, and nodded, not saying anything. Then I just got back in my car and cried.

Did I cry because I hoped she would be okay? I wish, but no. I cried because that was really hard.

As someone with anxiety, it’s a constant battle between my existential guilt and the gift of compassion. Perhaps you don’t have any experience with constant anxiety. Maybe you think it’s silly to feel guilty and wrong for doing the most mundane things. I agree with you, it is silly, but that doesn’t make it go away.

In fact, as soon as I parked my car, I already had a million thoughts going through my mind:

What would I even say to her? Everyone probably thinks that I’m one of those jerks that park in the middle of traffic. Or they think there’s something wrong with my car. Or they think I’m crazy. What if SHE thinks I’m crazy? I shouldn’t get out. Everyone will look at me and hate me. Maybe I can just pretend that I dropped something out of my window and get back in the car. This is a bad idea.

And I hadn’t even gotten out of the car yet.

Still, I think that this situation was most definitely a gift from God. It’s not that God made sure that she had a reason to cry, but I do think He put her car behind mine for a reason.  I, myself, have experienced both the sinking feeling and being tossed life rafts in the form of smiles, hugs, slight head nods, words, and prayers, and MAN is it powerful.

Unlike Rose in The Titanic (spoiler), we can share our floating door and save Jack’s life. Even when we are in danger of drowning, God gives us the opportunity to reach a hand out to a stranger.

All it takes is an Act of Random Kindness, an ARK if you will, to keep us from sinking.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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We are loved unconditionally and I’m not sure that many of us understand the meaning of that.

To be loved beyond our every sin, loved beyond our every expectation, loved far beyond our comprehension.

God, Our Heavenly Father, did not send His son to remind us that He still existed. He did not send Jesus to condemn us and tell us that there’s no hope for us because we’re all terrible human beings. He sent the Messiah to remind us that we are forever, irrevocably loved.

I don’t have any children, but my mother has always told me that although she didn’t use to like kids, carrying me inside her, holding me in her arms…she would do anything for me. Most parents know that the bond and love between a parent and their child is a love stronger than any other they have known.

Now imagine that kind of love, magnified a million times over and completely unbreakable.

We lie, we cheat, we defy, we deny that God even exists. Still, that does not stop Him from loving us. In fact, He never doubts His love for a single second. Can you imagine that kind of love? The kind of love that we have been dreaming about since middle school. The kind of love that sweeps us off our feet. A kind of love that will chase you down when you try to leave and tell you that everything will be okay.

I have seen in my own life how He will fight for us even when we have no fight left for anything or anyone. When we give up all hope, He is there to comfort us and remind us that we are not alone and we are loved. When we are ready to stop breathing, he gives us life.  

He knows we are worthy of love.

He knows our name before we are born.

He knows us far better than we know ourselves.

He has called us by name and claimed us as His own.

Click here and here for songs that remind us of God’s love.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Amen! Amen, hallelujah!

Today’s first reading literally had me nodding my head and saying, “that’s right” as I was reading it. I mean the letters to the Corinthians were written by St. Paul in about AD 55, but they are still just as applicable after nearly two thousand years!

The fact of the matter is that although it has been thousands of years and we have had a world of technological advances, we are still humans that deal with the same issues as the Corinthians. Yes, we now have the internet and indoor plumbing, we are still the same, shallow Christians as centuries ago.

What? Me, a shallow Christian?

There’s no use denying it. It is a part of our human nature to be flawed, but that does not mean that we should give up. In today’s reading, St. Paul is reminding us that we should not be celebrated just because we go to Mass on Sunday. We are not just there to participate in the glorious Eucharist. We are not just there to pray to Our Father. We are not just going to Mass because it makes us look and feel like good people.

We go to Mass because it is a time to come together as one body in Christ.

In today’s reading, it focuses on the fact that the Corinthians do not eat the bread, the body, and drink the wine, the blood, of Jesus Christ together, as a people. St. Paul uses the metaphor of eating dinner at different times and different amounts, therefore there is no unity or purpose in even coming together. They gather to worship God and do not share the wealth with each other.

What is the point in being Christian if you are not sharing it with others?

Are you really even following God’s commands?

Love is the greatest commandments and you cannot love by avoiding the world around you. You and I are one body in Christ and it is the same things that keep us divided that are keeping us from living out our mission. As Matthew 5:24 says, “First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering” because we are not meant to keep our wealth, spiritual or otherwise, to ourselves.

We were created to love by sharing our joys, our compassion, and our faith, with the world around us. How do we achieve this? Ask your friends, family, coworkers how they are doing, and listen with your undivided attention. This will open up the floor for discussion where you can display your compassion and give faithful wisdom one person at a time.

So take the time to talk to the people around you. Listen. Love.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Change is hard. Change means switching things up and usually, it means no longer doing what is easy or comfortable. Then again, change can be easy if the ultimate reason is worth it. A coach I had in high school once said that if we weren’t running towards a personal goal, we’d end up walking. He was trying to motivate us for our first cross-country run of the season, but it sounds profound enough to be applied to the rest of our lives.

For example, if you want to “be healthy” and do not set goals, you may struggle with the physical and dietary changes that come with it. This is why it typically takes a doctor’s news or a life-changing realization to make healthy changes. In trying to be healthy, we have to create new habits that align with our goals, otherwise, everything falls apart.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that change is good. He reminds us that change leads to better things and that once we realize just how good change is, we won’t want to go back. In terms of physical health, he is saying that once we feel the energy from eating healthy/exercise, we won’t want to go back to our bad habits. The goal is worth the change.

So what about our spiritual lives?

Is heaven worth the change? Is everlasting life worth biting your tongue when today isn’t going your way? Is unending love from Our Creator worth giving 100% of your focus to Sunday’s Mass?

I say of course, but have I changed my habits and realigned every aspect of my life to line up with my goals? Probably not. It is easy to do one good thing a day, but it is harder to change your life so that every one of your actions gives glory to God.

Maybe it starts with a prayer as soon as you wake up. Take that sunrise prayer and continue it throughout the day. Pray for your loved ones, the strangers, and most importantly, pray for your enemies. Pray with love. Pray with forgiveness. Pray with peace. Let the change be worth it.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Today is the feast day of St. Augustine of Hippo, one of my favorite saints. St. Augustine was a privileged man, with wealth and education given to him. He was also son of St. Monica (who went through all kinds of struggles with him), but that didn’t mean he believed that he was a Catholic from the start. Instead, St. Augustine ignored the Word of God as the truth and lived his life however he wanted. Finally, after years of his mother praying and hearing St. Ambrose preach, he understood that Christianity was the ultimate truth.

Still, even knowing the truth, he decided he could not become Catholic because of his past. He lived a life of debauchery, deception and loose morals. He thought that he would never be pure enough to be Catholic. He saw all of his failures as reasons he could never be a good Catholic.

I truly connect with St. Augustine because I, too, often struggle with not feeling like I deserved God’s love. For the last two or three years, I couldn’t even bring myself to go to confession because I felt that if I confessed, I would feel so ashamed and verbalize the reasons I didn’t deserve God’s love. As some of you recall, it wasn’t until this past June that I asked God’s mercy and forgiveness back into my life.

That’s when it hit me; We don’t actually deserve anything.

Now, I know it’s only been a couple weeks since I last reminded you to be thankful, but today I want to take a new perspective. Not deserving anything in life sounds terrible, but if I really think about it, it’s freeing. We deserve nothing, yet look at how much we have! Understanding we deserve nothing is accepting your blessings for all that they are; gifts from Our Father. It allows us to see everything as a gift from God and a testament to his love.

We aren’t born deserving of a loving family or a happy life, so why do we think we deserve it?

It is the world telling us to take our gifts for granted. Just as St. Augustine had a former life of chasing “worldly ambitions,” so do we. We believe that because we are not pure evil, we must deserve big houses and fancy cars. We have been told by our consumerist nation that we deserve everything we want, so we should take it at any cost. Yet, this is not what God wants of us.

If we let go of our worldly expectations, we allow ourselves to fully realized how blessed we truly are. If we focus on what we have and not how much we want bigger and better things, then maybe we can see all that we have been given.

Yet, as St. Augustine says, “The words here are concepts. You must go through the experiences.” Therefore, let us pray:

Lord, help us to see our countless blessings.

Help us not to waste our knowledge of your mercy
and, instead, to use it to glorify you.

I am humbled at your name,
for without you, God, I am nothing.

Amen.

 

My dad adds that last line to every one of his prayers as a humble reminder of our blessings. Try thoughtfully adding this to all of your prayers for the week.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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It was really hard to write today’s Inspiration Daily. I cannot deny that high tensions surround anything calling out directly, or even indirectly, the fact that racism, violence, sexism/misogyny, gay panic and fiscal irresponsibility exist. I recall an argument from my middle school science class; nature or nurture?

How much of what we believe and who we are is an outcome of what our parents have taught us versus how much is actually a part of who we are? Are people born with loving/racist, kind/violent, heterosexual/LGBTQ+ tendencies or are they formed from small and key moments that impact their daily live as they grow up? Unfortunately, the argument of our genetic makeup or environment mattering more is still an open discussion that continues, but today God tells us that it is not up to our genetic makeup to define us.

Ancient Hebrews used to use the proverb, “Fathers have eaten green grapes, thus their children’s teeth are on edge,” to blame their behavior on their ancestors. Though it has been thousands of years, we are still blaming those before us for our own actions. Phrases such as “I am a product of my upbringing” and “I can’t help it” can no longer be an excuse for our sins. It is up to us, as adults, to define our own future for both this life and our afterlife.

In today’s first reading, God commands us to never repeat this proverb, because we are judged on our own sins, not our parents’. Your father may have been an immoral person, but God will not judge you according to his sins. This is an absolutely wonderful thing, but at the same time it also means that we can’t blame our parents for who we are as a coworker, as a partner, as a parent, as a society.

Since we are created in God’s image and likeness, we are all called to love, regardless of our genetic disposition or environment. Yes, some events in our lives may push us towards hatred, but as the Catechism reminds us, we recognize the urge to “to what is good and avoid what is evil.” If we are true children of God, it should not be a choice, not even our last one.

Think about the argument again. Nature or nurture? We are children of God by nature, so we should do all things with love and gratitude, that much is clear. Now if the rest is up to nurture, then the choice is ours. We can choose to nurture God’s love and share it with those around us. We can transform others with our own choices, giving eternal glory to God with our hands, voices, and thoughts. On the other hand, we can choose to nurture hatred and sin, causing others to sin and be judged accordingly.

Let us pray the Responsorial Psalm for guidance.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Today is finally Friday! If you’re like me, you’ve been looking forward to this day all week. I have plans to take a six-hour road trip to visit my cousins, but maybe you’re looking forward to just taking some time to relax or spend quality time with the people you love. Either way, a weekend sound great, so TGIF!

Did you do it? Did you thank God that it’s Friday? I mean, did you literally praise God for giving us this wonderful Friday that we have lived to see? If not, you should! He has given us the gift of life on this glorious Friday so that we can experience His glory in all that we see and for that we should be grateful.

The phrase “thank God” has become so standard that sometimes (or all the time) we forget to actually thank God. This came to mind because I recently met an English professor that does talks on words changing throughout time and cultures. He specifically discussed the word “awesome” and how it used to be reserved for something terrifying, then was used to describe something so absolutely amazing that it took your breath away and filled you with awe. Now we use it to describe a shopping cart that doesn’t have a wobbly wheel. Not exactly the same connotation as the original meaning.

In a similar way, we don’t use the phrase “thank God” in the same way it was originally meant. We say it in such a flippant way that we don’t think about the prayer that we are just throwing away.

Now, I’m not saying that we need to stop saying “thank God,” but I do think we should actually thank Him. We should thank him for Fridays, as well as the amazingly awesome things and the awesome, no-wobbly shopping carts. He has given us the gift of life on this glorious Friday, so why shouldn’t we thank him for the little gifts He has placed in our lives?

In 2013, Pope Francis said, “If we can realize that everything is God’s gift, how happy will our hearts be! Everything is a gift.” I want to be happy and I imagine you do too. Thank God it’s Friday.

To read more on what Pope Francis has to say about finding happiness, check out his book.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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Thank you all for the feedback about our Inspiration Daily program. I will be making some of the positive changes that were suggested over the next few weeks. If you didn’t have a chance to fill out our quick five question survey, please do so HERE, or feel free to email me at tshultz@diocesan.com with any feedback. God Bless you all and thank you for reading!

-Tommy Shultz

 

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The last line of today’s Gospel made me a little bit uncomfortable. “He was amazed at their lack of faith.” I felt a little bit called out. I am a believer, but I know there are times where I lack faith in my all-knowing, ever-present God. I also know that I am not the only one.

We all question God. We have no right to do so, but in our lives we are faced with issues that make us really wonder if God has anything do with us. It could be the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, or the diagnosis we never expected. Whatever it may be, we are tested and we lose faith, even if only for a moment.

Yet we return to God. Why? Because we are able to see his blessings in everything that remains once the dust has settled. Although a loved one has died, we love those still here more fiercely. Although we may lose a job, we may find another better suited for us. Although we are sick or in pain, we still have life. We are constantly and consistently surrounded by God’s love, his grace, his mercy, his joy. All around us are reminders of God’s presence, both simple and unbelievably amazing.

Right now, I am struggling with the fact that I broke my ankle. I feel helpless and I must sadly admit that for a moment, I was angry at God. It wasn’t his fault that I bought a longboard and stepped off the wrong way. However, I do believe that God had a part in the joy I felt when riding the longboard (for less than an hour, but still). He was the breeze on the hot day, the sunshine on my face, the sparkle in Lake Michigan. He was there.

And he is here. In our lives, we are given free will. We are given the choice between joy and agony in all that we do. We can see the bright sunshine on a summer day, or we can see a sunburn waiting to happen. God is present whether we choose to see him or not. Choose wisely.

Heavenly Father,

You surround us with your love at all times.Help us know your peace when we are troubled. Help us feel your love when we are hurt. Help us celebrate your joy when do not understand. Help us welcome your plan when we cannot see it. All knowing, ever present God, Help us to not lack in faith so that we may feel your presence in our lives.

Amen.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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This week, I cried for our world. I watch the news, I follow social media, I talk with coworkers, so I am painfully aware of our world’s struggle. I am aware of the situation happening to immigrant children in our own country. I am aware of the religious persecution. I am aware of racial bias. I am aware of refugee struggles and rejection. I am aware of the fight for basic humanity. Where is the basic humanity?

I cannot understand why people do not simply care about each other. Who are we to judge one another? Are we not brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of our differences? Who are we to deny others of the same freedoms we, ourselves, fight for? We are all struggling in one way or another and yet we are often very picky of who we will and will not lift up.

Today’s first reading says, “Brothers and sisters: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as capstone.” (EPH 2:19-21)

Last week was Catholic Religious Freedom Week and tomorrow is the Fourth of July, an anniversary of our nation’s independence. We should use today to reflect upon what tomorrow truly means. What does our freedom and independence mean? It means our country is a melting pot, filled with cultures, races, and backgrounds that are all able to come together in a single country.

We are all one in God’s eyes. There is no “us” and “them” in Catholicism. Just as our country is one nation under God – not one American nation under God, not one North American Nation under God, but just ALL one nation under God – we are all children of God. When Jesus told us to love our neighbors as ourselves, he further explained what he meant by literally everyone being our neighbor using the parable of the good Samaritan.  You see, we are all strangers on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. It is up to us to be the Good Samaritan that treats all with mercy.

For more information on the Catholic Church’s stance on Religious Liberty, click here.

For last week’s Religious Liberty daily prayers and reflections, click here.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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I recently attended a Steubenville Adult Conference in which a speaker took the stage and gave an extremely vocal, Catholic rally call. He shouted and asked us to loudly repeat after him. At first, I felt like I was at some protestant church with the pastor yelling, people clapping, cheering, and a constant murmur of “Amen” and “Yes, God.” I thought, this is not what Catholics do. This is not how we behave. We wait until someone says, “Peace be with you” to say anything. I felt so uncomfortable and completely out of my spiritual element.

Then I realized that this uncomfortability is exactly why the Catholic faith is dying. It’s exactly why the youth are leaving and not bothering to look back. Many Catholics are so complacent with the world around us that they are not even trying to make a change. Many Catholics are so apathetic that they are borderline nihilistic. Many Catholics seem to be so “whatever” that their values and beliefs are worth next to nothing.

We cannot become complacent with the world around us, especially when we live in a nation that is constantly rallying and protesting their beliefs. Everyone is protesting something, be it pipelines, marijuana use, animal cruelty, pro-life issues, and so much more. Change is made when voices are heard and we will not be heard if we do not raise our voices. Instead, we as Catholics will slip into the unknown and we will be forgotten.

So I tell you now that it is okay to get loud. It is okay to go into the public arena armed with God’s unending love to fight with. If we fight, we will win because we have God on our side. But we will not win if we never bother fighting. Besides, we were not created to be silent. We were created to love God and to boldly defend his creations.

Let us turn our responsorial hymn into a prayerful rally cry. Pray it loud. 

“O God, you have rejected us and broken our defenses; you have been angry; rally us! You have rocked the country and split it open; repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering. You have made your people feel hardships; you have given us stupefying wine. Have not you, O God, rejected us, so that you go not forth, O God, with our armies? Give us aid against the foe, for worthless is the help of men.” (PS 60:3, 4-5, 12-13)

If you are still afraid to be bold, pray Ephesians 6:18-20.

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Veronica Alvarado is a born and raised Texan currently living in Michigan. Since graduating from Texas A&M University, Veronica has published various articles in the Catholic Diocese of Austin’s official newspaper, the Catholic Spirit, and other local publications. She now works as the Content Specialist in Diocesan’s Web Department.

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