After hearing a popular song in various places, some of the lyrics made me start to ponder how a person could love “better.” Instead I discovered a different definition for sin.

While I tend to listen to Christian music rather than the mainstream popular music, there’s been a song I’ve noticed in videos on Facebook and Instagram. I had no idea what it was called or who sang it until I happened to watch a YouTube video that was reviewing the quality of popular music from a musical composition perspective. The mysterious song was uncovered to be “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus. It is quite a catchy tune, but the main lyrics give a list of superficial actions that are supposed to equate to love, with the main message/refrain being “I can love me better than you can.”

Earworm is the term used to describe a song or part of a song that keeps repeating in one’s mind. And the chorus of this song was fully entrenched in my brain. It felt like a bad game of whack-a-mole, only it was wack-a-song — everytime it popped up in my brain, I would try thinking of another song, which quickly reverted back to the unwanted one. The more I thought about it, the sillier the song seemed to be. If the writer is only seeing things like flowers, dancing, and holding hands as love, then no wonder the relationship is failing. It is a pop song, so I know I can’t take it too seriously, but some simple songs can convey great meaning; this is just not one of them. 

While I’m not quite sure about the thought process that led me from thinking about the lyrics of the song to a relationship with God, somehow my brain ended up wondering about the attitude of that song as a response to God. That’s when the ton of bricks fell on my head and I realized that’s EXACTLY what sin is! There can be many definitions of sin, most of them from a negation perspective like not doing God’s will or turning away from God. However, sin is choosing ourselves over God, like the song says, we say to God that we can love ourselves better than He can. It’s almost painful to write that and to see it in black and white. It’s totally not possible for us to love ourselves better than God can. We don’t even know ourselves as much as God knows us, as He knows our full story since He exists outside of time and space. We can only know our present and our past, our future is still a mystery for us. Everything we have comes from God: the world around us, our family and friends, our talents and personality, every breath that we take, and every beat of our heart.

Our human nature wants to be in control. Love is risky as we need to open ourselves up and trust another. Yet God has proven Himself over many generations, throughout the Scriptures, through the lives of the saints, and even within our own lives. The only way we can love ourselves better, is when we let God love us. When we open ourselves to trust Him, His will, and respond to that love by showering others with the love He shows us. We can all try to love better, but no one can love better than Love Himself, who came to earth, proclaimed the kingdom of God, gave His life for us, all so that we can have a personal relationship with Him. 

God is the perfection of Love. Perhaps the next time we examine our conscience, maybe we reflect on the ways that we’ve told God either in word or deed, that we love ourselves more than He. It may be painful at first, but through the merciful love of God, we may be able to love better by loving as God does.

It’s been almost two years since God blessed me with a new job. And while I still believe that there is a purpose for me to be where I’m at, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t challenges that make me question why I am here.

I know that a life of living out the Catholic faith will not be all sugar and sprinkles. Jesus didn’t say that we’re going to breeze through to heaven, but reminded his disciples on multiple occasions that His life on earth is an example for all and that we all need to pick up our crosses to follow Him. A life of faith is not only comprised of going to Mass to meet the Sunday and Holy Day obligations, but permeates throughout my daily activities. Somehow it seems a lot easier to praise God and thank Him for when things are going well, than to trust Him and His guidance when the opposite is true. It’s almost like I’m happy He’s at “the wheel” in good times, but in difficult situations, I want to take control. From a faith perspective it makes absolutely no sense, as God has a better perspective on the rough patches and what’s needed than I do. Somehow I feel like it’s my testing moment and I’m cheating on the test if I ask for His assistance. 

Recently at work I made a recommendation that ended up being passed over. My initial feelings were of anger, as I felt responsible for this particular activity. But when the leadership deemed not to abide with my suggestions, it was a blow to my motivation, trust, and ego. They brought me in because of my familiarity with the system and here they were making judgements as if they knew better than I did. Why should I bother any more? Am I really needed there, if they won’t listen to me? Or am I just being possessive of what I think I’m responsible for and do I need to allow others to “play in the sandbox with me” so to speak? I struggled to get my feelings sorted out and to be rational and reasonable about the whole situation. 

I get emails from different places about different job openings on a regular basis, although very few interest me. I mostly delete the emails without even reading them. Yet during this trial, I did start reviewing them, trying to see if one sounded like a good fit for me. However, I couldn’t help but get a sense that I still have a purpose at my current employment. I started remembering how this opportunity seemed to just drop in my lap, like a gift with a big bow on top, especially since I wasn’t even looking at the time! It can be hard to stay the course when the bumps in the road seem like they’re going to shake the car to pieces. Is it any different from the occasions recorded in the Gospels where the disciples were terrified during strong storms on the sea? In one account Jesus calms the wind and the waves and chides the disciples for not having faith, in another Jesus invites Peter to walk out on the water to Him. In both cases, Jesus does take control and they stay the course to their destiny. 

After much reflection, I realized that while it is important for me to give my recommendations, I also need to let leadership take responsibility for their decisions as well. I may not like it, but it’s one less thing for me to stress about if I let it go. I found it a bit incredulous how easy it was to blow up over one thing that didn’t go my way than to appreciate the many times that I have brought valuable knowledge and perspective based on my experience. 

This time the challenge happened within the realm of my employment, but it could have easily been a situation within a relationship with friends, family or even a complete stranger. Challenges and trials are part of life, but those of faith are called to seek out the assistance of God. It doesn’t mean that the difficulties will go away, only that we will have the accompaniment of God as we move through them. And no, it’s not cheating, it’s a way to get closer to God and see His handiwork close up. What could be better than that?

This past Sunday’s Gospel from Matthew (5:13-16) calls us to be “salt of the earth.” We are all familiar with the importance of salt in cooking, but how are we to be “salt” to others?

Salt, when used properly, is supposed to enhance the flavors of the dish it is mixed within; it is not supposed to be the star ingredient. There is a fine line when adding any spice or seasoning, including salt, as you can’t take it out once you add it to the dish. Salt should be added sparingly, the food mixed well and then tasted before adding any more to the dish. This is the way I view using salt in my cooking. However, salt can also be a matter of preference. Our taste buds are unique to us and each person can taste things differently. To one person adding a particular herb or spice can make the dish unpalatable, yet another may want to add more of that ingredient and the level of saltiness is no different. In pondering what it means to be salt to the earth, my first thought is, “how do I make the Gospel taste better to others?” Yet, I’m not sure if that’s the right question to ask.

The Gospels are the Word of God from every aspect, as they are literally the accounts of Jesus, the Word of God in the flesh when He lived on earth. I don’t think there is anything I can do that can make the Word of the Almighty better than it already is. The message of how God wants a personal relationship with us so much so that He came to live among us and even died a torturous death in order to go to the farthest, scariest, place humanity can go in order to bring His Love and Mercy to all. No, there is nothing I can say that would make it any more appealing to people. 

Some may say that we need to make the message more acceptable to the age and the culture of our time. However at the time of Jesus, His ways were very shocking to the society and against the norms: talking to the foreign woman at the well, touching those with highly contagious diseases, and socializing with the outcasts of society are just a few examples. Jesus didn’t “sweeten” His message to the people at that time, but rather called them to be changed, to be converted via a relationship with Him. He would forgive sins and instruct them not to sin again, that is to say not to fracture the relationship with Him. In John’s Gospel (6:22-69), known as the Bread of Life Discourse, some of Jesus’ followers could not understand or accept His teaching about Him being the bread of life and no longer followed Him. Jesus didn’t chase them down and try to soften His message, but looked at His chosen Apostles and challenged them if they accepted what He said. If people walked away from the Word of God Himself instructing them, I can’t see how I can make the Gospel message any more to their taste. 

So why is Jesus commanding us to be salt for the earth? We can’t change the message, what are we to do to be like salt? Perhaps it’s not what we say, but our actions that show us to be salt of the earth. Perhaps by showing how having a relationship with God, with Jesus, and through the Holy Spirit, we are enriched and live a hopeful life. It’s not about God taking away all the difficulties and smoothing the path of life for us, but rather inviting God to walk with us on our journey, asking for His support and companionship along the way. When others see us even in difficulties being able to have hope in the outcome, there is an attractive quality in that example. In going through challenges, when I say, “God will see me through this,” it’s not some trite sentiment, but rather a pale echo of the Blessed Mother’s yes to the Archangel Gabriel in that I am leaving it in God’s hands to do what He sees best. It is difficult for us to allow God to work in our lives without limiting His abilities. While it’s one thing to petition for a specific outcome, we need to be careful not to be disappointed if God chooses to answer our prayers differently. But when we truly turn our situations over to God, there is a sense of peace that we receive. This peace-filled countenance is also attractive to others and thus making a relationship with God something of interest. This is how we can be true salt to the earth, and in demonstrating the richness of a relationship with God, we are being salt to the message of the Word of God.

To be salt is not to “flavor” the Gospel or to “sweeten” the message, rather it is by living out our relationship with God that makes the Gospel, and a life lived in relationship with God, “tasty.”