In this world, we encounter people whose souls are in different states. Some are indifferent to the things of God. Others are fervent. We also meet those who find spiritual fruit in everything. Whether it is a trial or a grace, they find an opportunity for spiritual growth during every stage on life’s way. They do this by accepting the trials that are placed in front of them. It is no easy thing, but it is a necessary step on the path to holiness.

What is the meaning of tolerance? It means to bear someone else’s faults, even if we do not know where they emanate from. Perhaps others have habits and opinions we find disagreeable. Some are grave. Some are not so important. Even when we know that another person is in the wrong, even fellow Catholics, we are never called upon to tolerate or ignore error. However, even being armed with the truth, we are not asked to weaponize it but rather exercise charity in correcting others, not for our own glory, but for God’s. 

What is a virtue? It is a good habit. On the flip side, there are vices. To have an authentic virtue that is pleasing in the eyes of God means that have to be in a state of grace. In this day and age, we have become accustomed to our worldly comforts. Moreover, when it comes to the virtue of meekness, we are tempted to throw it off under the false desire to not look week. We wish to be militant. But often that does not come from a desire to serve Our Lord, but rather from our own pridefulness and the desire to appear strong.

In the parable of the unjust steward, we are often confused by this parable because of the injustice embedded in the story. However, Our Lord calls us to look beyond the injustice and instead focus on being wise stewards of our earthly goods. When it comes to those things that transcend this earthly realm, specifically our final reward in heaven, we must be exponentially more clever and wise to attain it. And with this, we must not become overly attached to worldly goods, but use them prudently to help us and others toward our final end.

The more we know something the more we can love it. This is true not just of objects, but persons as well. And so it is also true of God. The more we know of him, and indeed about the Faith He established, the more we can love Him. God is a God of infinite beauty and goodness. So why should we be content to know so little about Him? Too often we believe our catechetical instruction ends during adolescence, as if we no longer have either an obligation or desire to grow in the Faith. That growth, like our love for God, can only increase if we seek to expand our knowledge base. This is not a trivial pursuit, but rather one that can lead us to the kingdom of heaven.

The Gospel is replete with Our Lord’s sayings and these sayings are drawn from the everyday experiences and lives of His listeners. These expressions, albeit simple on the surface, have now become integral to the manner in which we express ourselves even today. One of the most well known is Jesus’s statement, “By their fruits you shall know them.” It is very important that we deeply understand the wisdom of this and all of Our Lord’s expressions lest we apply them superficially. “By their fruits…” reinforces a timeless truth that from the effects of certain persons or actions, we can come to know the nature of the source.

The extraordinary consecrations that took place on July 1 are a cause of great joy. Yet the response from Rome, which includes but is not limited to, excommunicating the bishops and priests of the Society of Saint Pius X can be both a source of fear and bitterness. There are faithful who fear they are now outside of what they love, namely Holy Mother Church. And given the unjust and extremely harsh response from Rome, many are tempted to give in to bitterness. These responses are, to an extent, understandable, yet they must be resisted for they destroy the spirit of Christian charity. The crisis in the Church continues, but so too does the Society’s mission to form authentic Catholic priests for the salvation of souls.

The consecration of four new bishops for the Society of Saint Pius X is an expression of faith in the immemorial teachings of the Catholic Church. Despite the controversy surrounding these consecrations, they were performed for both the preservation of the Faith and to ensure that the Society can continue transmitting the Faith through priests formed according to the traditional Roman Rite. As such, these consecrations were performed in service to the Church and for the salvation of souls.