The Modern “Lifestyle” = Rejection of the Principle & Foundation

Examples of modern diversions:

·         Smart phones (gadgets);

·         Television/movies;

·         Travelling;

·         Health “focus on me” foods, an excessive concern with specialty foods, e.g., foods certified organic or “fairtrade”, or gourmet foods;

·         Exercise;

·         Sports; and

·         Some secondary “causes” or “crusades” on which a person focuses his life, e.g., saving the whales, the environment, ozone depletion, glacier melting, celebrity fan clubs, eliminating wasteful government spending, preserving historical landmarks, ancestral family trees, etc.

All of these are pulling man away from God as the central focus of his life.  The Conciliar Church is wrapped up in the world and, therefore, also is wrapped up in these diversions from the purpose of man’s existence – by contrast, these churchmen are supposed to be teachers who guide souls to be detached from the world, as Our Lord commanded.

Modern man is sensing his lack of a real purpose in his life and is searching for some relief for his aching and empty heart.  There is much discussion of stress and how modern man is being overstressed.  Of course, a person causes havoc in his body when he tries to live without his true focus (viz., God), too, and this is because we are body and soul. 

Many try to immerse themselves in their diversions (creatures) – see the list of diversions, “causes”, and “crusades”.  Many evil men (and the devils, too) are taking advantage of the modern man’s hapless, haphazard, wandering and his going from one so-called “solution” to another.  Hence, modern man searches in vain because he lacks the one purpose of his life and happiness, namely, God.  In other words, the Principle and Foundation is missing.

Many people find little bits and pieces of the Principle and Foundation.  In fact, they may find some huge chunks or inspirations of the concept of the Principle and Foundation.  However, because they do not have the true Faith, they do not find the satisfaction they seek.  The Principle and Foundation is the rudder of the spiritual life, and the better it is kept in mind, the happier we are. 

The Principle and Foundation is based on our proper use of our reason, and the more we use our highest faculty (our reason), the closer we get to God.  God calls us all to be contemplative, that is, to practice contemplation.[1]  

Those who practice contemplation use this faculty the best.  So, it is easy to see how far off the poor modern world is from the Catholic knowledge of God and from the service we owe to Him.

Let us use the Principle and Foundation to begin a new, better, more reasonable, more faithful way of living!



[1] See Mary’s School of Sanctity Lesson #3 on Contemplation and the Objective Truth Series  reflection # 24 Spiritual Nuptials