Christian Focus In Communications, In Life

If you are feeling overwhelmed, you might consider this a tweet of the day. That was certainly my reaction. Where do I get one?

Time to bring back?“@HistoricalPics: The Isolator, a helmet invented in 1925 that encourages focus and concentration pic.twitter.com/zXv9irJtFr”

— Bill Howard (@bhcolorado) February 5, 2014

But no one needs one. Not if we have Christ as our focus.

How’s this for Christian focus on Twitter?

Saint Agatha's witness should prick at the consciences of Christians who construe the Faith into only what is comfortable and easy.

— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) February 5, 2014

Christians must prepare themselves, like St. Agatha did, to tell the truth and if need be, refuse the idolatry offered by cultural elites.

— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) February 5, 2014

Christian Faith is measured by our witness and works of mercy, not simply by matriculating through faith themed institutions.

— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) February 5, 2014

The Faith of the Church shakes things up, knocks things over, and in the words of Pope Francis, makes a mess.

— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) February 5, 2014

The Faith of the Church places demands, compels decision, insists on testimony, imposes discipline, and invites risk.

— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) February 5, 2014

St. Agatha's witness teaches us that you can't give Christ just part of who you are. The totality of your life and death belong to him.

— FrSteveGrunow (@FrSteveGrunow) February 5, 2014

Pope Benedict and Pope Francis have both talked about the importance of silence in communications. You can’t give what you’d don’t have. Our communications have to be the fruits of contemplation of Christ, with Christ, in Christ. We have to be for real about our Christianity, and our lives should reflect that ever more, day after day of faithfulness and sacramental grace drawing us deeper in to His Sacred Heart. And, sometimes, explicitly, we should say what it is that is driving our days. We can’t keep our reason for hope and joy a secret!

Today (as I write, in the evening) is the feast of St. Agatha, a young virgin martyr killed in Sicily, in 251. As Fr. Roger Landry in Fall River, Mass., put it in his homily this morning:

She was pursued by one of the local leaders Quintian and refused his advances, something that led him to think he would teach her a lesson. After all, he was the local leader and he believed he should have the right to have sex with any virgin he wants and if she refuses he’d use the power of the state to force her compliance. He threatened her with being sent to a brothel, to prison, to being tortured, to being killed. She replied, in words that are significant, “Jesus Christ, Lord all, you see my heart, you know my desires. Possess all that I am. I am your sheep: make me worthy to overcome the devil.” She knew she was the Lord’s. On Sunday we celebrated the feast of the Lord’s presentation and we pondered the meaning of our own consecration. Pope Benedict said that consecration is first and foremost a “change of ownership,” we give the “title” of our life over to God with freedom and love. We say we are not our own but belong to the Lord. We don’t seek to control him. We allow him to control us, knowing that he respects our freedom and always not only wishes us well but wants the eternal best for us. Quintian followed through on all his threats, but it didn’t shake Agatha’s trust in him. He answered her prayers and now all that she is is possessed by him in heaven.

St. Agatha, pray for us, that we may be all in. That we may be all God’s, that our lives may be conformed to Him and His will.