Good Feelings?

Long over due, but here it is...

As I've mentioned before, I feel very fortunate and blessed to be able to maintain some former students as friends. I value their friendships, each of them unique and it excites me to see them grow, mature and to see how God's grace will play out in their lives. In my life, M & V (affectionately referred to as B and C (inside joke) have played a significant role over the past years-I see them quite often, they make it a point to visit me here in DC somewhat regularly. However, during the Easter Triduum I made a retreat at Saint Anthony's shrine in Ellicott City, MD-much closer than DC for them. I believe it was Good Friday's passion service that they attended and since I hadn't planned on them I didn't feel comfortable to ask to have two guests for dinner (albeit a day of fast and abstinence). Since we were all starving and food seems to be our thing we went up the street to one of the pizza joints and had some meager pieces of cheese pizza (oh and like 4 orders of cheese sticks-lol). Naturally we talked about God, Church and so on and at one point the following words came out of my mouth and although I've heard them before I've never said them with more conviction and even personal understanding. The words were: "The Church isn't about feeling good, it is about saving your soul." Then V said, "that's why I like the Catholic Church, it doesn't mince words, they tell you how it is." These words were like music to my ears since I often feel that I have to defend the faith, especially amongst my own Catholic brothers and sisters. By no means does this mean The Church wishes her children to be miserable, on the contrary, The Church desires that all her children live the happiest, most joyful lives, full of life in the light of truth.
It seems to me that most of us would rather not be confronted with the truth especially regarding "hot" modern day controversies. We seldom take into consideration God or his laws for us. Instead it scares me to think that we are guilty of the very first sin-being like gods. We seemed to have adapted the attitude that man could do anything and control almost everything and because of that we ought to do all that which we can accomplish. Really? Ought we? I'd suggest we all take some time to really consider who we are and stop blowing ourselves up to be something/one we are not. We do not know all the secrets of the world or of the heavens, we do not know the mind of God, nor can we. If, however, we really DID understand who we are we would never offend God or go against His law. If only we understood the amazing and sublime gift he accomplished by giving us His only Son. Do we not see, that in God Himself becoming man we have been elevated to such glory, to be His children. What father does not provide for his sons or daughters? Let us stop being gods and be God's.