Today Mass soothed. I failed to mention that yesterday, missing a retreat Mass, I headed directly to St Bridgette. A parish I had never experienced brought peace through the sacredness of Mass. This morning sleeping late, I attended the noon Mass at St Charles Borromeo. The conviction concretized that I would celebrate Sunday Mass at St Charles. St Paul Shrine has blessed with incredible grace, yet now I identify the time to establish a personal parish. St Paul Shrine will be there for daily Mass and communal prayer. On Sundays, I need families, children, neighbors, fellowship to deepen my faith. ‘It is not good for the man to be alone’. My alienated existence is a state to overcome. Today, a young woman alone with her three children sat off to my left, directly in front of me. The two young girls were beautiful and peaceful, one occupying her time creating things with silly puddy. I was hypnotized at moments, smiling when I comprehended one of her configurations was a smiling face. The energetic youngest brother, a toddler, was quite ambitious with his frolicking. During the Eucharistic preparation, he was quiet during the singing and responses, while finding the silence of the priest’s recitation—the producing of the miracle of transformation—an ideal time to be heard by all. I could only chuckle, delighted with the secretive opportunity to share time with ones so young. “Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” I also signed up for a Saturday retreat on October 20th, an all-day affair. The young man signing me up bragged about his coming wedding this Saturday, and a honeymoon touring Europe with stops in Italy, Germany, and Hungary. ‘That is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one flesh.’ I spoke with my sponsor before Mass, grateful for his structured wisdom. We discussed the fact I became so obsessed after the Jesuit Retreat, argumentative in mind and spirit. Exercising penetrating honesty, we concluded that I must check political thought. I relate the matter to the writing of Archbishop of Philadelphia Charles Chaput, a Native American. He stressed that America was not established as a Catholic nation. The mantle of Mary was never sought as a protecting grace. In fact, Catholics were persecuted in the early years of the United States. I accept that my Catholic faith must not be dependent upon the state of the nation. There must be a detachment from political conditions. It is absolutely necessary. Jesus never sought a revolution against Rome. He even aligned with Rome, acknowledging its worthiness, when he proclaimed none possessed a greater faith than the Centurion who confessed his home was not worthy to host Our Lord. ‘Give back to Cesar what is Cesar’s; and to God what is God’s’. Within complexity, Rome advanced civilization, producing peace—Pax Romana plus engineering, arts, politics, entertainment/sports. Rome advanced the impressive accomplishments of the Greeks. Spiritual victory does not find a home in political revolution. I think of the personally formative novel ‘Demian’ by Hermann Hesse. The main character, a young man being formed, spiritually progresses as he humbly and obediently accepts the tumultuous times of war. Yesterday, I witnessed those whose spiritual life was strangled by their obsession with politics. Politics dominated their disposition and peace. I must recognize the warning provided by God. My sponsor and I shared the reality, as he expressed that he and his wife concluded that they would remain knowledgeable, active through voting, while emotionally and socially creating political detachment. Their opinions would not influence their lives or relationships. They would remain open to everyone. That openness would not be the passive aggressive elevating of one’s self through the spiritual manipulating I witnessed yesterday; the idea of remaining aloof, praying for opponents while stripping them of dignity. I thought a lot about another factor that disturbed me. Educators, the Jesuits I beneficially and gratefully spent time with, stressed several times the formation of young people into what I consider social justice warriors. There is something insidious in the reality, a disturbing trend right out of the novel ‘Lord of the World’. Young people are at a time of growth, spiritually benefitted with the virtues of obedience, humility, and discipline. I think of the old school image of a school teaching nun busting the knuckles of a youngster with a ruler. Now we have educators who befriend young people, empowering them with the concentration their ideas are powerful and must be expressed adamantly. They are taught they are a political force, while in truth they are naïve and ruled by emotions. The young protestors unleashed by liberals do not only impair a mature political consciousness, they themselves are spiritually crippled. Improper formation is guiding them to become arrogant and pretentious at a time they should become humble, disciplined, and obedient to wisdom greater than themselves. What is happening on many college campuses is deeply troubling. I recall reading an angry editorial by a college professor from the University of Toledo. The veteran professor stressed that huge sums of money are being funneled into academia through grants and student loans, and the fact many of the students populating college campuses do not academically belong there. A dumbing down is being enacted. The professor stressed he feared his name being found out for there existed a ruthless mentality amongst the university. Individuals were not allowed to speak their minds. Keep in mind these are worldly individuals who will vehemently identify capitalism as corrupt. Regarding students, many will never graduate, and many more who do graduate will be burdened with huge student loan debt, while skill-wise and emotionally unprepared for a vocation. The care and concern for the young people being utilized as political weapons, not only ignores their spiritual needs, it also hampers their financial situation, while doubling the impact by denying them the means to attain gainful employment. Should we wonder why so many concede to a socialist world—the embracing of ‘The Lord of the World’. I cannot envision how anyone involved in the education system as it exists today could be spiritually comfortable with the institutions they inhabit. ‘Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.’ Anyway enough. There is enough on my plate. My faith, proper healing, my employment, and fellowship are concerns vital to spiritual growth. As my sponsor says, the rest should merely be entertainment. Fake it at first, if that is the best you can do.