Pope Francis wrote that to protect ourselves from estranged individual we need to develop happy, holy societies individuals would be loath to leave.

Thursday, 10/24/13

St. Paul, in the first reading, reminded the Christians of Rome of a sad time in their past when they “presented the parts of their bodies as slaves to impurity and lawlessness.” He was referring to their former sexual excesses. As well, he was recalling their over-indulgence in food and drink, along with their lounging around, being waited on by slaves.

He said that they themselves were slaves. They were slaves to sins. And he said, “The end of those things is death.” 

Of course, a life of over indulgence leads to an eternal death; but before that, it results in the loss of a happy old age. Our parish has a number of ladies who raised fine families while keeping their own bodies and souls in order, with it resulting in their being beautiful well into their nineties.

Three year before his election in Rome, Pope Francis, addressing the bishops of Argentina, gave a fine lecture on insuring against our society’s being overrun by unstable individuals. He said the only protection we can mount against having such estranged people is that of developing a healthy, happy, and holy society from which individuals would be loath to separate themselves.

Young farm minded kids have their ”Four H” Clubs.  We need to have a “Three H” society: one that is Happy, Healthy, and Holy.

However, our society  is always developing weak spots. Let me mention two I came on this week.

Tuning on the TV I came into the middle of a movie where a widower was raising his eight-year-old daughter, and he went to a counselor for help with the child’s  budding sexuality. The counselor said his own celibacy since the death of his wife was an impediment. She offered the information that she stayed healthy by masturbating twice a day. Our society has undergone some changes since I got heavy penances for confessing two dirty thoughts.

Two days ago I overheard a conversation between two young ladies at a nearby table.  One heavily tattooed young lady was recalling how neither she not her boyfriend could decide on what to do that evening. She said, “Like, I go, ‘Oh my God, I don’t know what to do;’ and he goes like, “Oh my God, I don’t know either.” Our age no longer thinks it sinful to take the name of God in vain.