it can even become so much as a drag to shut off and finally connect with God.

 

Many people will see the silliness behind monitoring minute details of one's life in the home, but as mentioned before it only takes a decade of baby steps to fall off the right path. If we even subtly support desires for certain things, we will soon come to grow in those passions, regardless of whether they conflict with the Word. This is also what leads many followers to grow selective about Catholic doctrine. We cannot pick and choose which parts of the faith we want to hold fast to so that we subconsciously make room for ungodly things. Once you develop this stance, you will only start to form a sense of distrust against certain Church teachings—ideals that now come across as extreme or strict because of the growing laxity in even the smallest areas of one’s life. Many times Christians do not realize that the reason for such carelessness or defense is due to what they see as widely accepted by secular society or even lukewarm disciples and shepherds.  Make no mistake, we are all lowly treacherous sinners struggling to rid ourselves of different vices but at no point should we relish, glorify or even justify the near occasion of sin.

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"Hell is full of good intentions or desires."

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—Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

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When you postpone working on a known issue or you innocently say, “oh this is not a big deal” or “God won’t judge me because a lot of Catholics do this” and you constantly err on the side of caution according to what the norm is within society rather than what would be presentable if you were to approach the throne of God, you are in a state of SPIRITUAL SLOTH and you are subconsciously fencing your way to damnation. Far better to stand broken before God than to amass in confidence towards an unholy way of life. People who mean well or even the most timid, sweetest, nicest people with the best of intentions end up in hell, because they are still lightly supporting what is unacceptable by God through His Word. It is His Word that supersedes all things and we would do well to remember that even if never desired, the road to hell is paved with so many good intentions. For wide is the gate and broad is the way which leads to perdition, and many there are who enter through it. How narrow and how straight is the way, which leads to life and few there are who find it! (Matthew 7: 13-14). Far less people are equipped to go to Heaven than the droves that will be headed to Hell. This will sadly include confident yet ignorant Christians. For it is a certain type of laxity that permits us to unknowingly weaken our will and open the door to the devil and legions of unseen demons that linger and influence us throughout the home. It’s with such laxity that the enemy seamlessly finds ways to whisper thoughts into our minds and influence the soul, so with time and even the right environment, the laxity only grows. The enemy prefers to go unnoticed, this way he can continue with his subtleness and unknown influence rather than have you be frightful of seeing his presence and constantly running to the feet of Christ. He delights in most people not thinking he exists or comparing him to some metaphor or ancient myth. This gives him great pleasure and a head start to carry on with this subtle influence so no one is soberly on guard to his tactics and that includes the faithful. People are truly unaware of how seamless we can be controlled by evilness once we give way to it. We don’t realize that we somewhat lose a firm grasp on our will if we subconsciously give permission for things to control it. Just as the “will” can be diluted with drunkenness through alcohol, it can also be diluted through other influences that are far less obvious or even unknown. Repeatedly inviting content into your home only brings about an effect that can unknowingly take dominion over your senses. This is why we unceasingly pray the Our Father, to deliver us from evil…every…single…day. As a Christian it is a constant battle for us to seek deliverance. We are of the belief that some of our thoughts and our sudden impulses are of our own, with no idea that it could be the enemy influencing us. Again, the influence is hidden so it can be that much more seamless with our everyday behavior. An example can be someone firm in their Christian belief who maybe still listens to content with an overuse of profanity. In this way the devil can influence them to give in more to their feeling of righteousness in such a way that they believe listening to slander will not affect them since they are so high in faith.

 

Many Christians fall victim to this from a lack of understanding in the Bible. Watching explicit content can be just as conflicting as watching a daytime show that maintains a cycle of funny but addictive heated drama. It can really be so small as a riveting show. Again the enemy invisibly awaits us in absolute agreement with anything that can tie us indirectly to sin or anything that can bring about the smallest bit of corruption in us. He only needs for the door to be slightly ajar in order to patiently and cleverly divert us away from God. When we are finally outside of His grace, and truly immersed in mortal sin, we are so far removed to even notice and cast it off as a normalcy, which is what the enemy silently delights in. The devil is patient and constantly bets against us. He knows it can take the laxity of each family generation to finally break away from certain moral codes. What was so precious and modest is finally deemed as too ridiculous to abide by. Without knowing we give him a win and provide a loss for Christ. In different regards, it can actually serve us to know that the devil is after our soul once we depart from this life. In the Hail Mary, this is also why we ask our spiritual mother to pray for us at the hour of our death since it is at this precise moment that a host of demons wait by the sidelines ready to leap and drag our souls to hell. If we did not live a true and virtuous life then we will be openly subjecting ourselves to this fate. There is a very silent and unseen spiritual war waging that most Christians have no sense of, sometimes because we are so consumed in our daily lives to see the enflaming truth before our eyes. The bible, the very powerful Word of God for some Christians becomes a light-hearted boring affirmation card deck rather than a frightening revelation of what can await us through our smallest decisions.

 

In your life, you may try to caution your desire for drama by watching a certain network but perhaps that network starts to allow for a new show that is completely off balance from what they typically broadcast. You may naively allow yourself to start tuning in, simply because the network is not known for vulgarity. In cases like this we should understand that there is no such a thing as maintaining caution when we directly place ourselves near sin. For this reason God warns us that we cannot serve two masters. For either we will have hatred for one and love the other. (Mathew 6:24). So then I say: Walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh. And since these are against one another, you may not do whatever you want...Now the works of the flesh are manifest; they are fornication, lust, homosexuality,

self-indulgence, the serving of idols, drug use, hostility, contentiousness, jealousy, wrath, quarrels, dissensions, divisions, envy, murder, inebriations, carousing and similar things. About these things, I continue to preach to you, as I have preached to you: that those who act in this way shall not obtain the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5: 16-21). Yes, It can be hard many times as this can involve things we really enjoy. We must understand that as Christians, as poor repentant sinners, the heart is depraved above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). Again, the life of a Christian is the life of the cross—a life that partakes in self denial. It is a constant raging battle between the flesh and the spirit and other forces that lie around invisible to us. We must see to it that anything entering our lives, does not corrupt the sanctity of our body, our sacred interior, the temple of the Holy Spirit. Or do you not know that your bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been brought at a great price. Glorify and carry God in your body. (1st Corinthians 6:19-20). We must always assess our purity through what we let into our minds and this can be corrected by what we choose to eradicate from our surroundings. We are told to live in this world and not be of it. When one truly grows in virtue, as hard as the journey is, an intolerance begins to form to where we become suddenly sensitive to certain norms of society. Even suddenly shocked by things that were once acceptable to us as immature Christians. These are all signs that point to our growth in spirit. When you can develop a spiritual sensitivity to the smallest thing, everything in God’s providence becomes sacred and not to be trifled with.

 

They are of the world. Therefore, they speak about the world, and the world listens to them (1 John 4:5).

 

If you had been of the world, the world would love what is its own. Yet truly, you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world; because of this, the world hates you (John 15:19).

 

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me first. (John 15:18).

 

And so, I beg you, brothers, by the mercy of God, that you offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, with the subservience of your mind. And do not choose to be conformed to this age, but instead choose to be reformed in the newness of your mind, so that you may demonstrate what is the will of God: what is good, and what is well-pleasing, and what is perfect. (Romans 12:1-2).

 

Your fate is your own. Either we can suffer now and secure the eternal reward or we can enjoy the ride and suffer the eternal consequences. If you choose to defy God and justify what you keep, then you are choosing which book to be written in. As God said, not everyone will enter the kingdom. The ones who refuse to fully submit to Him, whether it be through outright denial, or crying justifications, will be the ones to continue with a life consciously open to vile influences. The Lord is patient but he does not beg for our obedience, rather he will move aside and even let us give into our sinful depravities. If struggling with such desires we must pray for the Lord’s grace to save us from ourselves…“And lead us not into temptation” (The Lord’s Prayer), so if you are an avid church goer but refuse to sincerely ask for such grace don’t be so quick to leap with joy if you notice God has tested or even granted you with so many wonderful temptations to self indulge in.

 

And they exchange the truth of God for a lie. And they worshiped and served the creature, rather than the creator, who is blessed for all eternity. Amen. Because of this, God handed them over to their shameful passions…(Romans 1:25)

 

And with every seduction of iniquity, toward those who are perishing because they have not accepted the love of truth, so that they may be saved. For this reason, God will send them works of deception, so that they may believe in lies, in order that all those who have not believed in the truth, but who have consented to iniquity may be judged (2nd Thessalonians 2:10-11)

 

And the Lord said to Moses: ‘Enter to the Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart, and that of his servants, so that I May accomplish these, my signs, in him, and so that you may describe to the ears of your sons and grandsons how often I opposed the Egyptians and wrought my signs among them and so that you may know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 10:1-2)

 

Therefore the Lord rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire, from the Lord, out of heaven. And he overturned these cities, and all the surrounding region: all the inhabitants of the cities, and everything that springs from the land. And his wife, looking behind herself was turned into a statue of salt. (Genesis 19: 24-26)

 

For if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast in to the Hell of fire, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished. ( Mark 9:46-47)

 

In the end of times, there will have to be a distinction. This distinction will of course be between the good and evildoers (non-believers) but most certainly between good and bad disciples so God can finally purge the earth of its wickedness. Remember the gate is narrow. There won't be room for any grey area. One must truly ask themselves if they are living under such a comfortable shade. Some people will never change in their stubbornness against God’s warnings and God will help further them along in their misjudgment. Just as Lot’s wife could not keep herself from turning away to look back at her old life, perhaps maybe missing what was lost, she then turned to a pillar of salt. We too await this sober reality if God enlightens us but then we find ways to look back on our old ties and sins rather than cut them loose. God provides us with many examples and warnings no less, so that when history repeats itself, we will have already made the necessary changes to our lives. As we don’t know when this judgment day will be, the time to act is now.

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Expression

As sacredly adorn as your space might be, as long as there are two conflicting messages (from what you consume to what you display), your religious articles will simply become opinionated art or mindless decoration. Once you get rid of many things that don’t align with a Christian life, the process will always be ongoing. Purging is a form of repentance and purging things from your home is not always an act that takes a day or a week as one could assume with moving out of an old space. It can be a lifetime of being so careful as to cut ties with the smallest things we fall helpless to. In order to continually conquer our fleshly desires, we must die to ourselves to receive Christ and that includes removing and destroying the bondage to any and everything that will conflict with the Word, no matter how small and minute it may seem, just jokingly remember that, the manner in which we pick up a scrap from a floor can even have an effect on our soul. If that small, imagine what our daily actions can do to the interior.

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