Abandoned and Desensitized

Yesterday afternoon, I was blessed to attend daily mass. Between mass and the stations that followed, I gained an understanding of something some of my students might be experiencing. 


It amazes me how many young people today are unaware of their own language. They are a product of what they consume through music, movies, games, and any other types of media prominent in their lives. While disciplining high schoolers is one of my least favorite things to do and some thing I have yet to develop a knack for, it is a rule that you do ten pushups for every foul word spoken in my classroom. While the instances have grown to be fewer are far in between when I am around, I fear it is worse in other environments. Yet, when they do say something, they don't even realize they have said anything. I'll say their name in a stern voice, and their response will be, "What? What did I say?" If our young people today are so desensitized to their own language, I can only imagine how deep that de-sensitization goes in terms of morals, relationships and other unmentioned areas of their lives. 


What has caused these young people to be so consumed by their own yearning for consumption of media? Perhaps they feel abandoned. So many of the students I interact with today come from broken homes and families, divorced parents or single parent homes. In our petitions at mass, we prayed especially for those who have been, are experiencing or feeling abandoned. I admit I have felt a slight sense of being abandoned this spring semester, but not to the extent of those students who have been left by a parent, or don't receive the love and attention they should from a parent. 


In FCA this week, a student mentioned that Christ has experience every temptation we will ever experience. I've heard that before, but it never sunk in as much as it resonates within me now. Perhaps because I have been tempted in new ways this lenten season... See below for our FCA reflection piece. The focus of our discussion following was how we can really build and have an intimate relationship with Christ. Being desensitized doesn't allow for it. Neither does being abandoned. I see a new way in which I can pray for my students. Peace in Christ. 

Are You Too Busy For Christ? Keep The Christian Busy

Satan Called a worldwide convention. In his opening address to his assembled demons he said:

"We cannot keep the Christians from going to church. We cannot keep them from reading their Bibles and knowing the truth. We cannot even keep them from conservative values. Nevertheless, we can do something else. We can keep them from forming an intimate, abiding relationship with Christ. If they gain that connection with Jesus, our power over them is broken. So, let them go to Church, let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal their time, so they cannot gain a relationship with God.

This is what I want you to do. Distract them from gaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connection!"

"How shall we do this?" shouted the demons.

"Keep them busy with the non-essentials of live. Invent schemes to occupy their time." He answered.

"Tempt them to spend, spend, spend, then borrow, borrow, borrow. Convince the wives to go to work for long hours and the husbands to work 6 to 7 days a week, 10-12 hour days, so they can afford their lifestyles. Keep them from spending time with their children. As their family fragments, soon their homes will offer no escape from the pressure of work.

Also: Super Stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that Still Small Voice.

Entice them to play the radio or C.D. player whenever they drive and to keep the TV, DVD, CD players, iPods, iPads and computers going constantly in their homes.

See to it that every store and restaurant in the world blares secular music constantly. This will jam their minds and break that union with Christ.

Fill their coffee tables with secular magazines and newspapers.

Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day.

Invade their driving with bill boards.

Flood their mailboxes with junk mail, sweepstakes, mail order catalogs, and every kind of newsletter and promotional offering, free products services and false hopes.

In their recreation, let them be excessive. Have them return exhausted, disquieted and unprepared for the coming week.

Do not let them go out in nature to reflect on God's wonders. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, concerts and movies instead.

When they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and small talk so that they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions.

Let them be involved in soul-winning, but crowd their lives with so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Christ in prayer. Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing their health and family for the good of cause."

It was quite a convention. The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christians everywhere to get busy, busy, busy, and rush here and there.

Questions to ask your self:

Has the devil been successful in his scheme?

How about this definition for busy: Being Under Satan's Yoke