Matt Fradd's Blog, page 29

Is It Wrong to Be Interested in Aliens?

Not so long ago, people interested in aliens were seen as weirdos who needed to get their heads out of the stars and focus on creating a flourishing life for themselves on earth.

To be honest, they’re still seen that way by a lot of people. But interest in extraterrestrials has become more mainstream. Even many Catholics are fascinated by the subject.

But is it wrong for a Catholic to be interested in aliens? After all, there’s no clear statement in the Bible that they exist. What are we to think?

Here are some things to keep in mind.

1. The Church has no official position on the existence of aliens
This seems to catch some people by surprise. But it’s true: The Church doesn’t officially say that aliens do or do not exist.

That means you’re free to follow the evidence where it leads. You do want to be careful about getting too much into the theological implications of the existence of extraterrestrial life, at least without the guidance of the Church or solid theologians.

We explored a few of these theological implications in another blog.

2. God may want us to come into contact with aliens
One may argue that extraterrestrials exist, but that God doesn’t want us to spend our time searching for them.

But how do we know that? After all, God gave us an inquiring mind and the means to uncover secrets of nature that, a mere century ago, were inaccessible, such as landing on the moon. It may be that God’s grand plan for the universe includes us making contact with His children in other galaxies.

However, for this to happen, inquiring human minds need to drive the search.

3. Make sure your interest in aliens doesn’t override your spiritual life
People who abandon belief in God may still seek transcendence in another form. It’s not mere coincidence that many atheist, agnostic, New Age, and nonreligious writers have been fascinated by the idea of intelligent life on other planets.

If you’re interested in investigating alien life, make sure to do a check on your spiritual life first. How’s your relationship with God? Do you pray throughout the day? Do you frequent the sacraments?

If your answer is “no” to these questions, be careful. We’re not saying a nonreligious person’s interest in extraterrestrials is necessarily bad, but it’s very easy to let it become an all-consuming replacement for the life of grace.

4. Don’t get carried away with conspiracy theories
Just because you’re allowed to believe in aliens doesn’t mean you should get carried away by conspiratorial winds. As with all things in life, prudence is needed. It’s always easier to create a conspiracy theory than to prove one.

It’s possible that, at some point, the Church may issue more guidance on the theological and moral implications of the extraterrestrial question. As children of Holy Mother Church, remain open to its teaching, even if it contradicts what you believe. Because, in the end, the most important event for the human race will not be making contact with aliens — if that even happens. It will be when we all stand before God at the Last Judgment and render an account of our lives.

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How to Find Holiness and Happiness in the Present Moment

Many of us think of holiness as somewhere other than where we are and what we’re doing. The married man may wish to be a priest. The priest may wish to be a monk. The monk may wish to be a hermit.

But your holiness is found where you are right now — yes, even in your mundane, day-to-day life.

But what if you’re not happy where you are now? What if you feel that holiness is out of reach in your present circumstances?

Here are some tips for finding holiness and happiness in the vocation God has called you to.

1. Learn to say “yes” to your vocation every single day
Whether it’s your wedding day, ordination, or profession of religious vows, there’s a certain magic to those first moments where you say “yes” to your vocation. But some people act as if they have to give only one “yes” and then everything else is a breeze.

If this is your approach, you’re bound to be disappointed. Being happy and holy in your vocation means starting each day anew. It means saying “yes” to your mission as soon as you get up in the morning. Struggles will come, and you need to be ready.

2. Holiness and happiness are found in being yourself, NOT someone else
Maybe you’ve read a biography of St. Faustina and wish you were just like her. But if God wanted you to be just like St. Faustina, He would have created you as her. But He didn’t. He made you to be YOU!

Of course, you want to follow the saints’ examples when growing in virtue. But even that will look different, depending on your circumstances. If you want to imitate St. Lawrence and maintain a cheerful spirit amidst suffering, then crack a wholesome, self-deprecating joke the next time someone mocks you. Don’t go looking for Romans to cook you alive as they did him.

3. Learn to develop interior peace
Many people trick themselves into thinking that if their external environment was different — whether that be a different job, spouse, or vocation — then they’d be at peace. This is how the secular world thinks.

The fact is, you have some control of your happiness here and now! It also comes down to learning to develop interior peace regardless of external situations. You can’t always change the externals. But you can change your response to them.

God is calling you to meet with Him in your heart now. Whatever is happening outside of you, He can use that to sanctify you. So, while we’re not saying to not work for a better world, we are saying not to let your sanity depend on the current one.

As you’ve probably gathered from these three points, holiness and happiness really come down to serving God in the here and now, rather than living an imaginary future life. The devil will try to keep you preoccupied with the faults of your past and your worries for the future.

Only God is the answer to these anxieties. And He’s waiting for you to bring these to Him right now.

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Do You Really Have a Soulmate?

If you’re single and want to get married, well, bless you, for you live in one of the most challenging times for a Catholic to find a suitable spouse. But that’s all the more reason to have an answer to the age-old question: “Is there one perfect soulmate out there whom I’m destined to marry?”

Some proponents of the soulmate theory say, “Yes, there is.” Not only that, but they say that your future happiness and fulfillment are tied to finding this one person.

But do you really have a soulmate — someone out there whom God has destined to be your forever person? Is there such a thing as “the One”?

The answer is yes and no. Let’s explore further.

God wills your good and makes all things conspire to your good.
The things that happen in your life are not random, at least not in reference to God. All things fall under His providence. He even factors in the free choices made by us into His providential plan.

God’s providence means that He puts at your disposal the means necessary for you to fulfill your vocation on earth and make it to your heavenly home in the end. If He’s calling you to marriage, He gives you everything you need to embrace that vocation — including someone of the opposite sex with whom you can enter into a lifelong commitment and, God willing, start a family.

In this sense, you do have a soulmate waiting for you because God has placed before you everything you need to fulfill your vocation to marriage.

But…

God also wants you to exercise the free will He gave you.
God is unlikely to give you an unmistakable sign of whom you should marry. Although you won’t have absolute certainty, you shouldn’t become paralyzed by that fact. God will put everything at your disposal. He wants you to use your mind and will to discern a life partner.

Does this mean you’re completely off the hook and can randomly marry whoever strikes your fancy at the moment? Not quite.

As we said, God has arranged all things so that you can embrace and succeed in your vocation. From your vantage point, that means there are (or will be) certain people in your life whom you may recognize as possible choices given to you by God to marry.

But this is where you don’t want to get hung up. You may be left with more than one potentially suitable spouse, even after you’ve prayed for guidance. And, again, God is unlikely to send a glowing dove to hover over the one who’s best for you.

This is where you have to exercise your free choice — fueled by prayer, prudence, practical discernment, and spiritual direction.

Once you do marry, that person is your “One.”
One of the pitfalls of placing too much emphasis on finding “the One” is that, once married, there may be times when you think you’ve made a mistake. You might then become convinced that the person you married is not “the One.” You’ll then be tempted to infidelity when you come across someone who seems more suitable.

Let’s be VERY clear: Once you make your wedding vows, the person you marry is your “One” for as long as you both live. At that point, there’s no use wondering if you married the wrong person. In God’s eyes, you are one flesh. You’re yoked — for better or for worse — on life’s journey to eternity.

God loves your destiny more than you do. He will provide you with everything you need to fulfill that destiny. But you can’t sit around waiting for signs.

Pray, get advice from wise mentors, observe the relationships you form with those around you and then choose your spouse.

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How to Evangelize at Work

Christ calls us to evangelize. But different situations require different methods of evangelization.

The workplace is a challenging setting, because there is far more diversity of beliefs and ideologies than there was in the past — at least in the U.S. and Europe. Plus, businesses love to promote unity among their employees, so bringing up a divisive topic such as religion is often frowned upon.

In the workplace, you have to walk a fine line between not being overzealous in your proselytizing and not feeling like you’re forced into silence.

Here are some tips for accomplishing this.

 

1. Don’t be afraid of ridicule
If you’re refusing to evangelize your co-workers because you’re afraid of looking stupid, well, get over it! Christ was routinely mocked for speaking the truth, and He said that his followers should expect no less: “If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world—therefore, the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

It’s natural to want to be accepted and loved by those around us. But our first loyalty is to Christ. Rejoice if you’re ridiculed for His sake, because “your reward is great in heaven, for so men persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12).

2. Determine whether it’s helpful to evangelize someone at that moment
Just because you’re called to evangelize doesn’t mean that every moment is a fitting time to share the truth. There are times when it’s just better to remain silent and pray for the person you want to reach.

For example, your co-worker may be in a really bad mood that day. You want to be careful about evangelizing them in a way that just makes them angrier. Or maybe you know the person is closed-minded and just won’t listen to you. Don’t force them to give ear to your message. Again, just pray for them.

3. Try the Socratic approach
If you’ve read any of Plato’s dialogues, you’ll notice that the character of Socrates rarely tells his listeners what to believe. Instead, he gently pulls the truth out of them by asking questions — in the process, he often reveals the flaws and prejudices in their own way of thinking.

Asking questions to get someone thinking about the Catholic faith is less confrontational than telling them what to believe. This is a great method to try on those who are more closed-minded to Catholicism.

But be careful: You don’t want to come off as a lawyer asking a bunch of “gotcha” questions. Instead, show genuine interest in the other person’s thoughts as well as in their spiritual well-being.

Ultimately, evangelization at work requires judgment calls made through prayer. It’s helpful to talk to a good spiritual director when dealing with challenging situations, such as when your career is on the line.

Above all, remember that heaven is your ultimate aim. We only work for a short spell during our time on earth. Focus on growing in the faith and sharing it with others, thereby storing up treasure in heaven that can never be taken from you by any co-worker, boss, or corporation.

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Would Aliens Need Jesus?

We don’t know for sure if there is intelligent alien life out there. But if there is, what would the implications be for our understanding of sin and redemption?

God became man. He took on human nature to redeem it. The original sin of Adam and Eve has been passed on to their children and also affected almost every aspect of this world.

But if there are intelligent aliens, would Adam and Eve’s sin affect them? Would they have their own “Adam and Eve?” Would they need Christ?

Here are a few possible answers to that question.

 

1. It’s possible that these aliens never fell from grace
C.S. Lewis explores this possibility in his popular book “Perelandra.” While it’s a work of fiction, its main theme of an unfallen planet is not impossible. In such a case, the aliens wouldn’t need redemption, although Christ could still choose to go among them to elevate them to a higher level of perfection.

2. The aliens may have fallen as a race and need redemption
God may have created aliens with free will, and those aliens could have had their own Adam and Eve who fell into a sin that affected all their progeny.

This is the theory that raises the most questions. If they did fall, they would need redemption. But what would that redemption look like? Would Jesus’ redemption here on earth have a spillover effect and redeem aliens on other planets? Would Jesus assume their nature to save them?

The second of those two options is probably more likely, because Jesus assumed human nature here to save the human race. In Scripture, His redemption is specifically said to be in response to the sin of Adam.

Also, Jesus doesn’t need to become incarnate as anything to save. St. Thomas Aquinas makes the point that the incarnation was not absolutely necessary to save us, although it was the most fitting way.

3. Individual aliens may have fallen, but not the entire race
This is how it happened with the angels. The sin of Lucifer did not affect all angels the way the sin of Adam and Eve affected all human beings.

For the angels, their choice for or against God was a one-time choice. Once made, it was made forever.

But it could be that there’s an alien race where individual aliens sin, but can still receive redemption. Their sin wouldn’t affect the entire race, but would be a personal offense. Jesus would offer His mercy to each fallen alien on a person-by-person basis.

4. They’re not made to survive death
It could be that God created aliens that are good, but their goodness is only for this life. They don’t have a soul that survives death. In this case, they wouldn’t need redemption, although this doesn’t exclude the possibility of Christ visiting them.

Of course, these are all just conjectures. While our faith doesn’t exclude the possibility of alien life — even intelligent alien life, we need to be cautious about jumping too quickly on these theories. There are so many implications that we don’t want to go too far and all of sudden find ourselves in error.

At the end of the day, it would be an incredible thing to discover that we are not alone in the universe. But it would be an equally amazing thing if we were. Ultimately, time may shed more light on this question.

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Can You Have Too Much Holy Zeal?

As Catholics, we want to be able to address God with the words of the Psalmist: “Zeal for thy house has consumed me.”

But is it possible to have too much holy zeal? You know, to the point where you’re even annoying monks and nuns?

Here are some things to keep in mind to make sure your zeal doesn’t become too radical and spill over into an unholy mess.

1. Think about holy zeal under the rubric of virtue
There are different categories of virtue, including theological, moral, and intellectual virtues. Zeal is among the moral virtues. One thing that sets the moral virtues apart from the other categories is that a particular moral virtue is often found between two extremes. For example, the virtue of fortitude is the happy medium between the excesses of rashness and cowardice.

Whereas with a theological virtue such as charity, well, you can’t really have too much love of God, can you?

Zeal can fall prey to both extremes. Either you can lack zeal and become complacent, or you become overzealous.

2. We should be radical in our adherence, but not always in the material conditions of our adherence
The Gospel call is radical. Following Jesus is radical. You want to follow Jesus zealously by clinging to Him with your whole heart and mind. So you are called to be radically zealous on the inside and, to a certain extent, on the outside.

But you shouldn’t put the radical exterior actions above interior dispositions. Doing so can actually lead you into sin. For example, emphasizing exterior acts of penance over a humble, penitential spirit can lead to pride. You’re focusing so much on the outer act that everyone can see that you forget that true penance consists of a conversion of heart.

3. “Radical” is a comparable term
Radicalness shouldn’t be your defining trait. Your identity is rooted in Christ. Catholics need to be cautious about defining themselves as simply “against the world.” Yes, we are called to not be of this world, but that’s because we’re made for heaven. It’s not because we’re fundamentally anti-world.

You also need to think twice about comparing your zeal to the saints. Yes, you want to have a saintly zeal. But that looks different for different people, as the saints show.

Your zeal will largely be defined by your vocation. Zeal doesn’t look the same for spouses, parish priests, missionary priests, monks, nuns, or consecrated laypeople. St. Francis de Sale actually warns Catholic mothers about trying to be too much like nuns to where they neglect their families!

Ultimately, the two best ways to determine whether you have the right amount of zeal are by considering your state of life and talking to a spiritual director. Then, embrace who you are, and zealously become the best version of yourself for the glory of God and your own salvation!

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What to Do When Your Liberal Friends Shun You

Sadly, we live in an age of extreme toxicity. Growing ideological divides and heated social media debates create friction between former friends, co-workers, and even family members.

And with Roe v. Wade being overturned, many liberals are focusing their vile words and actions on the Catholic Church.

Maybe you’ve already fallen out with someone dear to you over your defense of the unborn or other controversial Catholic beliefs.

It’s a horrible feeling. What should you do if these people continue to shun you?

 

1. Don’t let them guilt-trip you
A popular stereotype of Catholics is that we love shunning anyone different from us. And we’ve been made to feel guilty about this. Maybe you’ve been called “intolerant” or “bigot” by your liberal friends.

While it’s true we may avoid things such as attending same-sex weddings, we can hardly be said to be worse than liberals themselves. Seriously, have you not noticed how much modern liberals love canceling and shunning anything that doesn’t completely bow to their dogmas?

Liberals have even turned on their own: Bill Maher and J.K. Rowling are two recent examples of prominent liberals who have faced the wrath of the new Left because they dare challenge aspects of the Leftist narrative.

Don’t feel like you’re some kind of holier-than-thou alien because you stick to your beliefs. Liberals do the same. They preach tolerance, but many don’t practice it themselves.

2. Don’t become obnoxious yourself
Of course, there’s always the risk that you’ll try to boost your ego to hide the hurt of being shunned. Focusing on how much “holier” you are than your liberal friends can make you feel better about yourself — for a bit.

But humility remains the key to both happiness and getting to heaven. Yes, being humble means you may suffer from mockery. But you’ll gain nothing by becoming an obnoxious shunner yourself.

3. Hold out the olive branch
We mentioned that you shouldn’t let yourself be guilt-tripped. But go one step further by making sure your liberal friends know that the door is still open if they want to let you back into their lives.

Invite them to Christmas parties or graduation reunions. Continue to send them cards for their birthdays. If you’re still connected on social media, “like” their posts on happy events in their lives.

Let them know you still care.

It may not work, but you never know! Even if you soften the heart of one person, you’ve done a great thing.

Let’s be honest: It’s going to take a while for our society to escape the poisonous, hostile atmosphere we’ve created. But change will only come if each of us does our part.

Above all, persevere in charity. Pray for your wayward friends. God created them out of love. And He commands you to love them, if for no reason other than love of Him.

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Is Catholicism Not Manly Enough?

Recently, Jordan Peterson recorded a message to Christian churches. He pointed out that they needed to be more inviting to young men who are tired of being treated as nothing more than privileged oppressors.

This video reignited an old debate: Is the Catholic Church not masculine enough? You look at Islam and certain Eastern Churches and see more rigorous discipline. This appeals to the male desire to sacrifice himself for a greater cause.

The Catholic Church has only a couple of days of fasting per year (it used to be more). You can now eat meat on Fridays outside of Lent. There are not as many mandatory prayers as in Islam.

But does all of this really make Catholicism less manly? Should the Church make things much more rigorous to appeal to more men?

Here are some reasons to be cautious about this.

 

1. It isn’t necessarily more manly to do something because you’re being forced to do it
Men need humility and it is a manly thing to submit to a Church discipline you don’t agree with.

But the Church shouldn’t have to force you to do everything. One of the beautiful things about Catholicism is that it keeps the door open for those who want to give more.

During Lent, you’re only required to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. But there’s nothing preventing you from fasting at other times of the year, as long as it’s safe for your health.

And why do you need the Church to tell you to pray more? Be a man and start doing it yourself!

2. The Church is not only for the strong, but also for the weak
The Church’s role is to bring all people into union with Christ. But it also has to reach people where they’re at.

Let’s be honest. Many men are severely weakened by our modern consumerist culture. They’ll only be able to progress in discipline one step at a time.

The Church makes relatively few disciplinary demands to encourage the weak to keep moving forward. Once they make enough progress, they are invited to choose additional acts of self-denial to grow in holiness or do so under the guidance of a spiritual director.

The Catholic Church offers plenty of opportunity for men to sacrifice themselves. Just look at St. Paul, St. Thomas More, and St. Francis Xavier. The Church is full of men who underwent incredible persecution and even martyrdom for the faith.

Jordan Peterson is right: Catholic churches need to be more intentional about inviting young men into their fold. The salvation of these men — and the restoration of culture — depends on it.

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Why It’s a Bad Idea to Receive Communion in a State of Sin

The Eucharist is the greatest of the seven sacraments. It’s the only sacrament that includes Jesus’ real physical presence, and receiving it frequently and devoutly is the best way to grow in holiness.

Receiving the Eucharist while you’re in a state of mortal sin has the opposite effect — you further injure your already seriously wounded soul.

Sadly, many people go up to Communion without considering their spiritual state. But is that really a big deal?

It is and here are the reasons why.

1. You commit a sacrilege
You are guilty of sacrilege when you deal unworthily with holy things. Given that the Eucharist is the most sacred thing on earth, it is a serious offense to profane it.

Holy things are meant to be set apart and treated with reverence. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where anything goes, and seemingly nothing is sacred. But God, who is literally present under the species of bread and wine, deserves our reverence.

Mortal sin kills charity, which is God’s life within us. Think about it. We expel this life in us through mortal sin, and then we presume to receive Christ’s sacred Body and Blood?

2. You dull your mind and heart
When you receive Our Lord unworthily, you become accustomed to treating sacred things disrespectfully. In other words, it becomes a habit. You lose your entire sense of the sacred and contribute to a culture of sacrilege.

You also close yourself off to those vivifying graces that inspire you to virtue. The result is growing complacency and spiritual laziness, which become more difficult to escape the longer you’re in them.

3. You put more importance on exterior conformity than internal reality
It’s embarrassing to remain in your pew while everyone else goes up to Communion. So humiliating, in fact, that you may decide to go up anyway to save face.

Yet, which is more important? Not offending God or feeling embarrassed? Following God always comes first. We know from Scripture that this sometimes means enduring humiliation.

Plus, most people at your average parish are probably not going to notice if you remain behind.

4. You lose sight of the sacrificial dimension of worship
Recently, there has been a lot of emphasis on the Mass as a community meal. Too much, in fact. While there is a meal aspect of the Mass, emphasizing this fact to the exclusion of the Mass as a sacrifice can lead to certain attitudes. One of these attitudes is that receiving the Eucharist in the state of mortal sin “is not that bad. This is a communal meal. Join us!”

The Mass is above all a sacrifice. And Jesus Himself becomes physically present. That’s what matters most. We need to see receiving communion as partaking in this sacrifice.

While these reasons should keep you from receiving the Eucharist unworthily, they should not prevent you from attending Mass. You are only bound to receive Communion once a year, but you still need to attend Mass each Sunday.

Of course, you want to receive the Body and Blood of Christ as often as you can. No matter how serious your sins are, there’s an easy way to get your soul cleaned and ready to meet Christ at the altar.

That way is, of course, Confession. If it has been a while since you’ve confessed, well, what are you waiting for?

Jesus is ready to welcome you back with open arms.

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Why Would The Government Hide Aliens?

We know the government isn’t always straight with us. This isn’t always a bad thing if it’s for our genuine safety.

But if aliens live among us, don’t we have a right to know?

Just to be clear, we’re not taking a position on whether aliens exist or not. And we’re not saying the government is definitely lying about their existence.

But if there are beings from other worlds locked away in some super-secret U.S. military facility, why wouldn’t the government just say so?

Here are a few possible reasons.

1. To protect national security
During the Cold War, the Pentagon was concerned about attempts by the Soviet Union to distract Americans while they launched a secret attack. At that time, there were several UFO sightings over Washington D.C. and other parts of the country — possibly creations of the Soviets, or something from outer space.

The U.S. government worried that if Americans found out about these objects, they would all start calling in and the lines would jam up. With the U.S.’s attention turned to mysterious flying objects, the Soviets would have the perfect opportunity to strike.

While the Soviet Union is no more, it’s possible for the U.S. government to continue lying about the existence of aliens to protect national security. After all, we still have plenty of enemies out there.

2. The government doesn’t want the American people to know it isn’t in control of our skies
Any government knows that to maintain support from the people, it needs to make those people feel safe. Once citizens lose trust in their leaders, they’ll pay less heed to the laws they pass and the directions they give in times of crisis.

Any acknowledgment that aliens are entering our airspace is basically an admission that the U.S. doesn’t have full control over our skies. Which is not something anybody wants to hear.

Some of these U.F.O sightings have happened during military training, when absolutely no one else besides the military is allowed in the area. Nothing would be more embarrassing than letting the world know that E.T. slipped past fighter jets and sensors to enter some of the most heavily guarded parts of the nation.

3. The need to save face from previous lies
We have old, previously-classified documents of government officials saying they need to keep these strange sightings under wraps and respond with mockery to anyone who dares accuse the government of a cover-up.

Of course, there are plenty of famous online personalities with whole shows dedicated to proving that aliens have visited us. Some of these people are loons, but maybe some are telling the truth. After all, they are often met with a high level of mockery that threatens their career, yet they stand by their claims.

If the government did come out and admit that aliens are real, then it would need to make up for all this mockery as well as explain why so many pilots and officials were threatened if they dare divulge any information on U.F.O. sightings. Governments don’t like being humiliated. They’d rather save face.

These are a few reasons why — if aliens are indeed real and within our borders — the U.S. government may lie about it. Or maybe it’s being honest. Who knows? As history shows, time usually has a way of bringing out the truth.

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