At the very beginning of his Gospel, John calls Jesus “the Word.”(1) The Greek word for “word” is logos. However, logos also means “reason” or “logic.” In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul states that, “the word (or logic) of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but for us who are being saved it is the power of God.”(2) Thus, the humble carpenter from Nazareth and the humiliation of His cross reveal God’s way of thinking.

When Jesus foretells His passion for the first time, Peter will have none of it. “God forbid, Lord!” Peter exclaims. The Scriptures go so far as to say that Peter “rebuked” Jesus.(3) Can you imagine? The whole you are the “Rock on which I will build my Church” thing must have really gone to Peter’s head! That would be short-lived.

“Get behind me, Satan!” Jesus returns the rebuke with one of His own, and in front of all the Apostles no less.(4)  I’m sure Peter was stunned by Jesus’ swift and stinging characterization, especially after just having been called “Rock.” Then Jesus continues, “You are an obstacle in my path, because the way you think is not God’s way but man’s.” The Greek word for “obstacle” – skandalon – means “stumbling block” and refers to an actual rock over which someone might trip and fall.  An interesting play on the word “rock” that Jesus is making here.

Why did Peter so viscerally react against Jesus’ talk about His suffering and death? There are various reasons perhaps, but, at bottom, it was because Jesus’ death meant “Game Over.” Human nature recoils at suffering and death. They are the great enemies to be beaten or avoided at all costs. Death is the end of all hopes and dreams, one of which for Peter may have been the earthly restoration of Israel, freed from the occupation of the Romans, with Jesus reigning as King in Jerusalem.(5) If Jesus is killed, the dream dies with Him.  Death would mean the end of all His hoped-for accomplishments.  Of course, Jesus would turn this upside down.

Jesus’ suffering and death is the very reason He was born into the world. Archbishop Fulton Sheen once wrote, “Every other person who ever came into the world came into it to live. He came into it to die.”(6) It was the Father’s will(7) and the work Jesus had come to accomplish.(8) His name points to this fact. “Jesus” means, “Yahweh saves.” How does He save? Good Friday will tell the story.

Peter was putting an obstacle in the way of Jesus fulfilling the purpose for which He came into the world. He was putting an obstacle in the way of Jesus obeying the Father’s will. He was tempting Jesus, not unlike Satan had in the desert after His baptism, to opt for the world and the world’s way.

Peter is not thinking like God does. He cannot grasp that suffering and death aren’t the greatest obstacle, but sin is. Anything that makes us veer from fulfilling God’s will for us and stray from the narrow way that leads to eternal life is the real enemy. And anyone who encourages us in that direction is a tool of Satan, whether he or she is aware of it or not. Life is short; eternity is eternal. In the end – and there will be an end – there are only two destinations, one of “no more suffering” and one of the “definitive suffering.” This world is passing away and the life of man is but a breath,(9) like the morning fog, here then gone.(10) When we misjudge the real obstacle, we actually become one to others and to ourselves.

Suffering, as it turns out, is the means to salvation, and God willing it is a sign of His love and mercy. St. Teresa of Kolkata called suffering “The sweet kiss of Jesus” and St. Thomas Aquinas called it “God’s medicine for human beings.” Jesus did not hide from His disciples that they needed to suffer.(11) Suffering is a necessity in the theater of redemption, and we have our part to play. St. John Paul II wrote, “In so far as man becomes a sharer in Christ’s sufferings – in any part of the world and at any time in history – to that extent he in his own way completes the suffering through which Christ accomplished the Redemption of the world.”(12) Our suffering, no matter how small or great, when offered in love and united to Christ’s, can save us…and others!

There is no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There is no resurrection without the passion. There is no new life without death. There is no holiness without mortification. There is no satisfaction for sins without penance. There is no perfection without purification. There is no exaltation without humility. There is no heavenly feast without fasting. There are no heavenly riches without earthly poverty and detachment from riches. There is no rising to a supernatural life in the Spirit without putting to death the inclinations of our natural self.

This is God’s way of thinking. It is the wisdom of the Word. The logic of the Logos.

1 John 1:1, 14
2 1 Corinth. 1:18 (my italics and parentheses)
3 Matt. 16:22
4 Mark 8:33
5 This was even the preoccupation of the Apostles at the Lord’s Ascension. See Acts 1:6.
6 The Life of Christ, 20.
7 Isaiah 53:10
8 John 4:34, 6:38
9 Psalm 144:4
10 James 4:14
11 See Luke 9:23 and Matthew 7:13-14 for starters.
12 Salvifici Doloris (February 11, 1984), no. 24.

David Hajduk received his Ph.D. in Theology from Maryvale Institute in Birmingham, England and wrote his dissertation on the thought of St. John Paul II. He is a teacher, speaker, pastoral minister, and award winning author of God’s Plan for You: Life, Love, Marriage and Sex (Pauline Books & Media, 2006, 2018), a book for teens on the Theology of the Body. David is the Director of Theology for Array of Hope.

Each one of us is a child of God. From the moment of conception to the moment of natural death, we all uphold dignity because God created, redeemed and loved us for a destiny of eternal happiness. This includes all of us and those with a disability are no different. I have had the privilege of knowing and loving many people with Down syndrome and other disabilities and they are the most amazing and beautiful people I have ever known.

Unfortunately we are living in a world where human life is not cherished or protected. 65 -90% of babies with Down syndrome are aborted and disregarded as worthless. If a prenatal test shows that a child has Down syndrome, parents are  often encouraged by their doctors to terminate the pregnancy. They are seen as a burden instead of a blessing right from the beginning. 

According to society’s standards, a person’s dignity is defined by their individual successes and advances. But God tells us that a person’s dignity is not defined by what they are going to accomplish throughout their lifetime, but by the mere fact that they exist and are a child of God.

Genesis 1:27 says“So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them”

Every human person is invaluable. By the simple fact that they were created and they are a child of God, we know that there is a purpose for their life and they possess extreme dignity and worth.  We can all make a successful contribution to our society and help build the Kingdom of Heaven. We all have weaknesses and we all have strengths. God uses that. Every one of us is different and has something to offer, including those with Down syndrome and other disabilities. Their lives are worth living. 

I know the love and happiness that those with Down syndrome bring to our lives because I have experienced it first hand. They inspire me on a daily basis to be a better person and they have brought me such joy, that I want everyone in the world to experience that same happiness and love. 

We are called to see people the way that God sees you, as a sacred and precious member of His Kingdom. If we started to view people for their souls and really appreciate each person as a child of God, and truly celebrate life as a gift,  I think we could make the world a much brighter place. Spend some time with someone with Down syndrome and experience it for yourself. One look at the beautiful smile of a child with special needs, should convince you that they truly are amazing.  They have the most loving and gracious hearts. They don’t judge others, while we so easily tend to judge. They love without bounds, while we sometimes love sparingly. They can teach us so much about our faith and how to love others the way God loves each one of us. 

Lauren Costabile is a speaker and the founder of Hearts of Joy International, a nonprofit that provides life-saving heart surgery for children with Down Syndrome in countries where families can’t afford medical care. She loves all things gluten free and strives to use her gifts and talents to spread joy and make our world a brighter place.

Here we are again—another New Year! Let’s ask ourselves: When we declare our resolutions and set our goals to improve our lives, do we keep in mind God’s plan for each of us? Or do we make plans with only ourselves in mind?

I don’t know about you, but I have just about given up on making goals for the New Year. Time goes by so quickly and I find that whatever I set for myself tends to fall by the wayside, as I struggle just to keep up with daily demands and unforeseen events. Sound familiar? Well, let your heart not be troubled. For we have a God who meets us where we are and whose grace can move us towards our goals.

For 2020, here are 3 simple tips to help you have a happy and holy New Year!

LISTEN:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

 To get to know someone you spend time with them, talk to them and listen to them. This grows the relationship. How can you grow in your relationship with God?

Find time to read scripture to allow God’s Word to speak truth in your life. Set aside daily prayer time. In the silence of your heart, listen to the ways that God is speaking. When we listen to Christ through His Word and allow that truth to penetrate our being, the Word becomes real to us. We are guided daily by the light of life so that God’s love is evident in our joys, works, and even in our sorrows.

LEARN:

“Teach me to do Your Will for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” Psalm 143:10

The Sacraments, Mass and the ways of the Saints – all of these are integral elements of the Catholic faith, but how much do you know about or practice them?

Carve out some time to discover the beauty and truth found in our Catholic Faith and strive to follow its teachings and traditions more closely in the year ahead. There are many ways to learn more about our faith and practice it daily; read the Catechism of the Catholic Church and books of the Saints, continually receive God’s Mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Eucharist and celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

LOVE:  

“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.” John 15:12

You were created by love and for love. When you love well, you become the hands and feet of Christ. In what ways can you love those around you this year?

The love that we receive from God drives us to love those around us. Choose to love when it’s hard. Make a conscious effort to forgive someone in your life  who has hurt you and strive to mend a broken relationship. Love those closest to you [your family, your friends, your spouse, your kids, etc.] Each week, tell 3 people you love how much they mean to you. Reach out and love others. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, shelter or nursing home, donate to charity, go on a mission trip, or pay for the coffee of the person behind you.

Remember, with God, nothing is impossible.

Making resolutions for the new year can seem like a tall task but as long as we listen, learn, and love as we are called to do, every resolution, every goal, and every moment of our lives will be led by our Loving God.

Carol Monaco is an independent writer and speaker. For the past 17 years, she has been the writer/editor of Journey to Our Lady,  a spiritual publication that helps readers seek out a closer relationship to our Blessed Mother, who draws the faithful closer to the Holy Trinity.  From her Journey, Carol has authored Treasures of the Rosary and Heavenly Mother Help Me; Prayers, Poetry and Prose for Daily Living, as companions for individuals trying to live their faith every day.  Her devotional columns can be found in Liguorian magazine, CatholicStand.com and Catholic365.com. Carol’s spiritual reflections, poetry, and prayers are available on her web site: www.journeytoourlady.com and on Twitter: 

Dating? We don’t date in 2019 because we’ve lost the art and value of dating. Instead, we’ve settled and  convinced ourselves that we desire this non-committal, on a whim, temporary “love.”

We have settled for lust, this ugly counterfeit for love.

Why? I mean look around, where do we see examples of authentic relationships?

The other day I went to the movies with one of my friends and we watched this “romantic” movie where the plot paints a committed relationship as safe and boring, while glorifying this lust- filled physical “relationship.” Not once did the main characters of the the movie define their relationship; it you even want to call it that. It portrayed this type of relationship as exciting and freeing.

Wanna know something funny? Even though we are being spoon fed this idea of the type of relationship that we desire, it still doesn’t stop the questions from coming in. I can’t tell you how many times someone has asked me a question related to dating and relationships : How to ask someone out; what’s a good date look like; how do you know someone is committed to you, how do you know you’re in love, etc.

These questions point to a real reality.

We each have this desire for an exclusive, authentic, self-giving love.

While we are getting tired of this cheapened counterfeit, I think we also are so wounded by our culture that we fear commitment, we fear the love we were created for. The reality is, relationships end in one of two outcomes: marriage or break up. We’ve convinced ourselves that the heartbreak isn’t worth it.  But when we start acting in the right accordance of what we were created for (hint: chastity), we begin to realize that love is always worth the risk!

It’s time we stop acting out in fear, it’s time we start fighting for ourselves and for this exclusive self-giving love each of us were created for. So the question is, how do we start? Well I’d argue that we start by reclaiming what it means to date. Here are 3 practical ways we can begin to rediscover the art of dating.

1. Men, ask a woman out. Use the phrase “ I would like to take you out on a date…” Ladies, say yes; it’s not a marriage proposal, it’s just a date. Dating means getting to know a person in hopes of courting them. Understand that while you are dating someone, that doesn’t mean you are in a committed relationship with them. The point of dating is to discern if you are called into a committed relationship with that person.
2. Emotional Chastity. Emotional chastity and dating go hand in hand. Emotional chastity simply means living in reality when it comes to your emotions. We shouldn’t be day dreaming about someone, stalking them on every social media platform, or indulging in the emotions that we feel whenever we are around them. Emotional Chastity orients our emotions to the greater good; it keeps us in the present moment. It reminds us to always love a person and not use them for our emotional gain.
3. Clearly state your intentions. Through every step of the way when we are dating someone or pursuing them, we should be clear with our intentions with one another; we should know where the other person stands. We each deserves clarity and intentionality, none of this roping a person along.

I get it, committed relationships are scary! But I promise you, they are worth the risk! Our hearts were not created for the random non-committal  hookups. We will experience more freedom, love, and adventure when we decide to step out and go against this life-sucking hookup culture our world has convinced us we desire.

You are worth the risk. You are worth the commitment. You are worth loving.

Let this year be the year we reclaim what it means to date and enter into committed relationships.

Bianca Herrera is a 2017 graduate of Radford University with a BA in Marketing. Bianca was born and raised in New Jersey but moved to Virginia where she spent her high school and college years. Bianca answered the call Christ placed on her heart to serve as a missionary with the Culture Project. “Our culture today is hurting because it is seeking love in all the wrong places, this message of true love, of reminding others whose they belong to, needs to be spread. I became a missionary to spread this message.”