There are just too many subcultures and movements that us Christians identify with, when in fact we do not identify enough with Christianity itself. Too many "role models" that we try to follow, when in fact we forget to imitate the most worthy one - Christ.

Stop trying to fit in. Chances are you never will. Follow the Lord instead and defy this world.

ᴘʀᴇꜱꜱ ᴀ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴏᴏꜱᴇ

ᴏ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ʜᴏʟʏ ᴠɪʀɢɪɴ, ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴏʀᴅ ᴊᴇꜱᴜꜱ ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛ: ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍɪɴɢ ɢʀɪᴇꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀʀᴛʏʀᴅᴏᴍ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴜᴄɪꜰɪxɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ꜱᴏɴ, ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴇʏᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴀꜱꜱɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴀ ᴛᴇɴᴅᴇʀ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪꜱᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ꜱᴜꜰꜰᴇʀɪɴɢꜱ, ᴀꜱ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇʀᴇ ᴅᴇᴛᴇꜱᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ꜱɪɴꜱ, ɪɴ ᴏʀᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴅɪꜱᴇɴɢᴀɢᴇᴅ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴀʟʟ ᴜɴᴅᴜᴇ ᴀꜰꜰᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ ᴊᴏʏꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ, ɪ ᴍᴀʏ ꜱɪɢʜ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴛᴇʀɴᴀʟ ᴊᴇʀᴜꜱᴀʟᴇᴍ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇɴᴄᴇꜰᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴍᴀʏ ʙᴇ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴡᴀʀᴅꜱ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴅᴇꜱɪʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏʙᴊᴇᴄᴛ.

ʜᴏɴᴏʀ, ɢʟᴏʀʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴏᴜʀ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ʟᴏʀᴅ ᴊᴇꜱᴜꜱ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴍᴍᴀᴄᴜʟᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏᴅ.

ᴀᴍᴇɴ.

Perfect peace will never be achieved on this Earth. Conflict is just human nature, it will always exist. The sooner you realize and accept this, the sooner you will notice that the peace you so desire can only be found in denying this world and denying your very own self. In following Christ and spreading his name through your good works. In fighting the good fight - conquering your own sinful nature.

Get away from the harmful noise of selfish politicians, profit-bent corporations, self-focused influencers and narcissistic celebrities. Focus on things around you that can be improved, not the ones that you cannot influence in any way.

Trust the Lord. Build an authentic relationship with Jesus and His Church. Set up a strong prayer routine. Work hard and grow in holiness. He loves you and cares for you deeply. It's about time you give some of that attention back.

Maybe you had your heart broken. Maybe you were in a situation where you had a very strong feeling for someone and yet it was never the same for them. Maybe you tried hard to be noticed but it just never happened. You were just never able to ignite that fire in their heart. If you happened to go through this, it probably caused incredible amounts of sadness, pain and suffering in your life. It happens, many of us know at this point. It does not necessarily mean it was your fault and the same way - it does not mean it was theirs either. Human emotions are wild.

Point is - one of you two felt a deep, unconditional love. The love that was so full and selfless that it could move mountains. You were ready to ignore all the differences, flaws, uncertainties, just to be a part of their life, yet it never happened. You tried to give up your biggest vices. Maybe you succeded, maybe you never did, but in the end it just wasn't meant to be. This is simply life.

It's painful, but there is real knowledge of God coming from experiences like this. All of this - this is just the human definition of love. Now imagine this kind of unconditional love and multiply it by a thousand. Imagine how you make the Lord feel, when he shows you compassion and care and yet you neglect Him in your life. You find other things more important. He's there but He's not on the first place. Your relationship with Him should be just that - a kind of romance. The acceptance of His unconditional love and the realization that he deserves more from us. Once you know this and start feeling it, it will all become natural. It will all become authentic.

https://youtu.be/1Gw-AaOViIA

You lift me up above the sea and carried me through the dross
The waves they crashed upon Your frame You suffered all my loss
This rescue came with suffering completely at Your cost
It tore Your body through and through but You brought me safe across

A while back someone made a catchy little song and used one of my works as the image. I sometimes find myself coming back to it, usually on a peaceful evening like this one. I think his work deserves attention and I honestly don't know why I didn't think of posting about it before. Thank you for the song SkinneR.

https://m.soundcloud.com/skinneremixed/mercy

Guilty of love.
God was put on trial.
Sentenced for my treason.
Paid for my denial.

Crucified He suffered.
A pain no man could bear.
To wash away my sins.
His heart they had to tear.

I just finished watching the Passion of Christ again. I cried like a baby throughout the entire film, probably always will.

I could see myself in all of them, the story of my life, maybe you can as well.

In Peter when he denied Jesus.

In Judas when he gave up Christ for worthless currency.

In Pilate when he washed his hands clean and stated he was in no way guilty of this blood.

In Barabas when he had no realization of the price paid for sin.

As well as the dying thief who came to know his guilt and begged forgiveness.

In all of them except Simon, who helped carry the cross to the very end.

Behold! The crown of the King Most High! One who conquered death itself!

Behold! The nails driven through his limbs! Dealers of suffering to our Most Precious Lord!

Behold! The hammer that struck them! Tool of unjust punishment of the Holy One!

Behold. The sacred blood. The price of our salvation. One we do not deserve. One we received anyway.

IESVS NAZARENVS REX IVDÆORVM

Christianity is neither spirituality nor religion. Christianity is both. Religious tradition without a deep relationship with God is empty. You can end up becoming a Pharisee. Faith without religious tradition tends to be unorganized, undisciplined. More prone to error and easier to weaken. Chrisitanity is a relationship with the one, true and only God and what follows - His Church.

We often get angry when someone calls us sheep. Why. This is exactly what we are. What Christ teaches us. We are the sheep and He is the shepherd.

Let them call you sheep. Let them think you are the ignorant one. Be a part of His flock.

True knowledge lies in the acceptance of the divine truth. True ignorance lies in the rejection of Christ.

Lead me o shepherd. For I am a sheep and you are my guide.

It is often in suffering that God teaches us the most about ourselves. Suffer then and keep on carrying your cross. Do not give up. Give all of that pain to the one who suffered before you. Who suffered for you.

Just as He rebuilt His temple after three days - He will do the same to you. Let Him. Love always comes with a certain kind of pain.

You are loved.
Trust Him completely.
Follow His will.

Great Lent is a perfect time to embrace tranquility and work on your vices. Perfect for trying to get closer to Christ and to meditate on his suffering.

Rather than making "Lent resolutions" - it is wise to consider it a start of serious change in your life. Permanent change. The fight doesn't stop when Lent ends.

I could say don't push yourself too hard, but no. Push your limits. Take up as many resolutions as you can. Do not despair when you fail. It is nearly impossible to get away from your worst sins immediately. Instead be sure to repent and then continue on your journey.

Give all of it to God - it's not a time of shallow self-improvement. You will achieve nothing on your own.

Disconnect from this world and all the troubles. Your main goal is salvation.

Christ be with you.

平和の王子

Original painting is called "Serenity" and was painted by my friend Lisa. You can find more of her work at:

http://lisaasplundart.wixsite.com/lisaasplundart

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