Standing Up for Christ

There have been many times in my life, just as in the lives of many others, that I was challenged to live up to my religious beliefs. People have asked me questions, often difficult to answer, and watched me to see whether or not I "mess up" in my daily actions. Each day is a test, a new chance to impact those around me (hopefully in a positive way).

All of this puts a great deal of pressure on the people trying to live a good life, especially when placed in an environment "hostile" to their cause. For example, I worked at a tire store for over a year when I was around 18 years old, and it was there that my resolve to stand firm in my faith was tested, along with my patience. At this store I was ridiculed for praying and standing by my values even in the face of severe temptation. My fellow workers would do things like call me names and try to cause me to fall into sin by losing my temper. However, knowing this, I was able to implore help from the Lord and keep calm in most situations.

An example of one occurrence where I had to stand against evil happened on the eve of my co-worker Gus's birthday. All of the other employees were planning on taking Gus to a strip club for his 18th birthday to "bring him into manhood." They invited me, saying, "Come on, if you're his friend, you should be there." My response was twofold; One, "If you were my friend, you wouldn't ask me to do that" and two, "If you have the party somewhere else, I will attend." They decided to go without me, and I was happy to stay at home that night, considering the alternative.

I have encountered many people who ask questions which are not only about difficult subject matter, but also phrased in an unsavory way. Additionally, the people asking the questions usually do not want to hear the answer; what I mean by this is that the people are not open-minded in approaching the conversation. These things have tended to test my patience because I enjoy having intellectual conversations and, when others approach me feigning interest in an answer, it irks me. Really, just as the Pharisees did in the Gospels, these people are setting traps and trying to make me fall into them (as discussed above).

It is only by praying and clinging to Christ that I was able to overcome these situations, along with the unpleasant thoughts and feelings caused by these encounters. Although persecuted, as was Daniel, and even thrown into a symbolic "lion's den," I have been able to stand firm in my faith and even convince my peers to act more nicely.

The Most Sacred Gift: To Be Respected, Indeed

Just as God's presence in the Ark of the Covenant commanded great respect and reverence, so too does the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of our dearly beloved Lord Jesus Christ in the Eucharist, present in the tabernacles of Roman Catholic churches all over the world.

The Blessed Mother, the Virgin Mary, was the new Ark of the Covenant, charged with holding the true and real presence of God inside herself. As a result, she is also to be respected and honored, just as the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant was. She was no less sacred a vessel for God than the Ark. This realization, however, should drive us to an ever-deeper love for Christ, who is the very reason for Mary's holiness.

When we enter into the presence of Jesus, whether it be in an adoration chapel, in a church, or at the Mass, we must be aware and show our love for God by profound acts of reverence. These can only be profound if we focus on what we do, however, and we cannot let our actions become meaningless motions. As the New Testament tells us, we must not "babble like pagans" or mindlessly follow the letter of the law without concentrating on the reason for the law. We are called to love Christ with all of our mind, heart, soul, and strength and because of this love we should show our respect and humility.

Some of the common signs we use when we enter into the presence of God are using holy water, making the sign of the cross, genuflecting, kneeling at particular points in the Mass, and even prostration before the Blessed Sacrament. Holy water reminds us of our Baptismal promises, when we became a part of the body of Christ in His Catholic church. The sign of the cross is a remembrance of the essential beliefs we hold as Catholics, and recalls our God's mysterious trinitarian properties, being Three in One. We say, "In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," connecting the names to the roles of the three; namely Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier. In addition, the sign of the cross, if said very well, is essentially meant to bring to mind the Creed, either Apostles' or Nicene. Genuflecting, kneeling, and complete prostration are all acts of humility that acknowledge our nothingness in comparison to the Lord. It is only fitting that we do so, considering our complete worthlessness without God and His utter perfection.

Aside from the spiritual aspects of the tabernacle's role, it has quite a few physical similarities to the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. For example, tabernacles are usually gold-plated, just as the Ark was. Tabernacles also often have angels on their tops in the same manner as the Ark had angels. Both are given places of great honor in the area in which they are located. All in all, the tabernacles of the world are like mini Arks, but with no less importance. The key point is that we absolutely must make sure to show Jesus the proper amount of respect, regardless of where He is located.