{"id":40454,"date":"2013-07-04T13:41:01","date_gmt":"2013-07-04T18:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.austincnm.com\/?p=40454"},"modified":"2013-07-08T10:19:00","modified_gmt":"2013-07-08T15:19:00","slug":"setting-your-family-ablaze-integration-part-3-of-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atxcatholic.com\/index.php\/2013\/07\/setting-your-family-ablaze-integration-part-3-of-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting Your Family Ablaze – Integration – Part 3 of 5"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Bonfire\"<\/a><\/p>\n

“There cannot be two parallel lives in [the Christian’s] existence on the one hand, the so-called \u201cspiritual\u201d life, with its values and demands; and on the other, the so-called \u201csecular\u201d life that is life in a family, at work, in social relationships, in the responsibilities of public life and in culture\u2026 Therefore, I have maintained that a faith that does not affect a person\u2019s culture is a faith \u201cnot fully embraced, not entirely thought out, not faithfully lived\u201d<\/b>\u00a0<\/em> – Blessed John Paul II, Christifideles Laici<\/i>, 59.<\/p>\n

When we look at recent decisions regarding the redefinition of marriage, we tend to want to place blame.\u00a0 Many would like to blame certain politicians or certain Supreme Court Justices or the misinformed electorate for our current situation.\u00a0 If we truly want to be honest, we<\/i><\/b> are why we are where we are.\u00a0 We are the problem.\u00a0 We are also the solution<\/i><\/b>.<\/p>\n

Blessed John Paul II challenges me.\u00a0 He challenges you.\u00a0 He challenges every one of us to recognize that, in the end, our lives, our faith will be measured by the impact, the effect that they have on the culture.\u00a0 Have I personally affected the culture in which I live through my words and actions?\u00a0 If so, how? And, if not, why?\u00a0 Have I done enough?<\/p>\n

We cannot fix the Supreme Court.\u00a0 Nor can we fix the politicians. But we can, with God\u2019s help, with His grace, \u201cfix\u201d ourselves.\u00a0 And, if we do accept this challenge, we can, particularly through setting our\u00a0 families ablaze, begin to affect our culture for the better.<\/p>\n

The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council honed in on the issue, the error that has led us to where we find ourselves today. They pointed out that one of the \u201cgravest errors of our time<\/strong> is the dichotomy between the faith which many profess and the practice of their daily lives\u201d<\/strong> (Guadium et Spes, 43).\u00a0They and, subsequently, Blessed John Paul II both point us to the problem and to its correction \u2013 Christians daring to live integrated lives where there is no separation between the Gospel and life.\u00a0 The late Pope lays down our charge as husbands, as wives, as children, as bankers, as policemen, as ordinary people living ordinary lives:<\/i><\/p>\n

The responsibility of the lay faithful, in particular, is \u201cto testify how the Christian faith constitutes the only fully valid response<\/b> \u2026. to the problems and hopes that life poses to every person and society.\u00a0 This will be possible if the lay faithful will know how to overcome in themselves the separation of the Gospel from life<\/b>, to again take up in their daily activities in family, work, and society, an integrated approach to life<\/b> that is fully brought about by the inspiration and strength of the Gospel. (Christifideles Laici, 34)<\/i><\/p>\n

The outcome depends on our ability to integrate our faith into our lives, into our families, into our everyday.\u00a0 We cannot live one way on Sunday, another way at the office, and yet another on the practice field with our son\u2019s all-star team.\u00a0 We are meant to be the answer to every individual\u2019s and every society\u2019s problems and hopes. We are that answer when we testify with our lives that our faith is the only fully valid response to our current situation<\/i><\/b>.\u00a0 How radical is that?\u00a0 Do we really believe it?\u00a0 If we do, where do we start?<\/p>\n

Blessed John Paul II\u2019s provides us with plan.\u00a0 We must embrace.\u00a0 We must think.\u00a0 We must live.<\/i><\/b> \u00a0Here are some thoughts on this plan:<\/p>\n

Embrace.\u00a0<\/strong> To live this radical, fully integrated life, we must embrace the entirety of the fullness of the Gospel<\/b>.\u00a0 In order to do that, we must invest time to discover the fullness of the Truth found in Jesus Christ. All it takes is an hour a day.\u00a0 For the future of this country and its culture, set aside 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes before bed (1 hour, less than 5% of the day) and do the following.<\/p>\n