Looking Beyond

LOOKING BEYOND

When Paul began his preaching to the gentiles, he could never have imagined the explosion of Christianity into every corner of the world.  After the emperor Constantine legalized the practice of this new religion, Christianity flourished for centuries. Peasants and primates, paupers and princes practiced Christianity in every aspect of their daily life until King Henry the VIII broke from Catholicism to set himself up as the head of his own church. This ended Christian unity.

Since then, there has been a gradual implosion and divisions among the people who profess to believe in Christ. Here we are over 2000 years since the birth of Christ, and the spread of his Kingdom on earth, observing a meteoric decline in faith and morals in nearly every nation on earth. For those who have eyes to see and ears to hear what is occurring in our midst  has created a time of mourning and grieving for what could have been.

Instead, we must divert our eyes from the filth on the television and movie screens. We can hardly avoid the immodest images on the covers of tabloids and magazines. Our ears are assaulted with demonic sounds passing for music with lyrics that offend, the lyrics yet get trapped into our memories. There seems to be nothing left of innocence in children's books or movies but rather deliberate propaganda to brainwash our youth in an unchristian view of God's reality.

But for those who walk by faith and not by sight this is not Christianity's first rodeo. The Romans tried to wipe out Christians in the Colosseum. The invasion of the Moors into Europe, and of communism into Eastern Europe and Asia are still attempting the obliteration of Christ's Kingdom on earth. In our own country politicians speak with forked tongues denying their own religious traditions. They vote for death over life, permit the invasion of our borders for their own purposes and pervert our justice system. It is enough to incite despair if you have no long-term vision. The Roman empire imploded, the Moors were driven back and communism has fallen in western Europe. The Poles set the stage as an example of what can be done through faith.

Martyrs abound in every nation because they have dared to stand up for truth and justice and for their faith in Christ and his Church. Our Church will prevail because of the blood of martyrs and the courage of believers to live their faith both privately and publicly. Jesus promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against his Church. It appears that hell is using its assault troops, but we know they will not succeed. We see families protecting their children from false teachers by enrolling them in solid Christian schools or home schooling them, at great personal sacrifice. They are actively becoming leaders in their parishes and attending devotions in greater numbers. Children are beginning once again to see a lived faith at home and in their community. It is a small and hopeful beginning and there will likely be more subtle restrictions and persecutions to be dealt with in the future. Never-the-less, it is encouraging to see young parents walking by faith because they are seeing clearly the evils around them the culture of death, deceit and injustice. Courageously they swim against the tide.

People of faith know that Christians have walked this path before and in the end, faith will triumph Christ and his church will triumph. We may have to endure harassment, financial losses, hardships, and persecutions but these are but the steppingstones to glory, our eternal reward. We have no lasting dwelling place in this world because this is not our home; as in the matrix, our reality is elsewhere, and it is filled with love and peace.