Don’t Choose the Mammon!

This week we celebrate the feasts of St. Raymond Nonnatus and St. Pius X. Every Catholic should know that one must attend all three of the principal parts of the Mass – the Offertory, the Consecration, and the priest’s Communion – or he has not attended Mass at all. We should foster a special devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary during these “Thirty Days of the Blessed Mother.” Our Lady is the great protectress against all heresies and the continual assaults of the world.

In this Mass, St. Paul’s Epistle juxtaposes the works of the flesh against the fruits of the Holy Ghost, and the Gradual instructs us to place all our trust in God rather than men. The Gospel has an especially sobering message for those who live by the dictums of the world. The lives of the saints are often hidden and ignored, while worldly success is lauded and encouraged. When considering the souls of the saints compared to the souls of famous celebrities, we need only ask ourselves, “Where are they now?” to realize how fleeting this world is. If we have not done all to choose the Kingdom of God and obtain Heaven in this life, then all the fame the world can offer will account for nothing in the end.