What: Promoting humility and honoring family life

Why:

“The most extraordinary thing in the world is an ordinary man and an ordinary woman and their ordinary children,” stated G.K. Chesterton. "The disintegration of rational society started in the drift from the hearth and the family", wrote G. K. Chesterton in 1933. "The solution must be a drift back." 

As the family drifts apart, it is easy to begin to question one's identity because we are all either a son or a daughter—this is an identity that cannot be altered or separated from our being. When we lack the virtue of humility, it leaves room for the vice of pride which will naturally turn our gaze inward. No family can function properly when everyone is gazing inward. Our individual identities, as sons or daughters, exist only in relation to others who we cannot properly see when we are only gazing at ourselves.

To counter our fallen tendency to the vice of pride, let us instead humbly turn our gaze to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary whose feasts are celebrated on June 16th and 17th this year.

Humility, which is the virtue that exists to counter pride, requires sacrifice. In Scripture, we read of Christ's and Mary's humility of heart and the Christ child's obedience in family life.

In Matthew 11:29, Christ tells us, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” And, in Luke 2:51, we read that Christ, "went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart."

So, as we make small sacrifices this month to promote humility and honor family life, keep in mind that sacrifice is a powerful force for change. This month, your sacrifices joined to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary can change our society—our civilization—from one that honors the vice of pride into one that honors the love of family life. 

How:

Pick your CHALLENGE:

Spiritual:

• Learn more about the Devotion to the Sacred Heart and St. Margaret Mary Alacoque
• Participate in the Novena to the Sacred Heart
• Begin the First Fridays Devotion

Communal:

Here are just a few ideas to get you started.

• Get to know your local chapter of Courage and Encourage and find out how you can support their mission.
  • Courage is an international apostolate of the Catholic Church, which ministers to persons with same-sex attractions.
  • EnCourage is a ministry within Courage dedicated to the spiritual needs of parents, siblings, children, and other relatives and friends of persons who have same-sex attractions. Standing by the true teachings of the Roman Catholic Church, EnCourage members support one another and their loved ones through discussion, prayer, and fellowship.
• Get to know Eden Invitation and find out how you can support their mission.
• Be intentional about the businesses and organizations which you support financially. It can be a sacrifice of time, money, and energy to find even your everyday necessities at stores that do not promote and encourage false ideologies of the human person.
• Live by more humble means. Cut back on purchases that are not necessary, purchase items second-hand, or use less of an item. Then reallocate those funds to support businesses and organizations that promote a true understanding of humanity rooted in Christ.
• Hand out Sacred Heart devotional prayer cards in your community. Parades, festivals, and other summer gatherings are a great opportunity to reach people. Consider including your local parish name, address, and Mass times with an open invitation.
• Invite a friend, family member, or neighbor who you know may be struggling with questions of their identity to join you for Adoration, Mass, or a small-group Theology of the Body study.
• Fast from social media, screens, or anything else that casts your gaze inward.
• Cut the time you spend in front of the mirror (or the selfie mode of your camera).

Set your GOAL: 

You can choose one of the suggestions above, or come up with your own. Then, depending on your challenge, you will want to set yourself a practical goal - whether it be material, financial, or spiritual.  Some examples include:

• Increase your tithe by 1% this month with the extra going directly to organizations faithful to the Church's teaching on human identity
• Cut your non-necessity expenditures by 10%
• End two automatic subscriptions from businesses that support false narratives of the human person 
• Hand out a dozen Sacred Heart devotional cards to people you don't know
• Don't look at yourself in a mirror (or your camera) for an entire day.
• Delete your social media apps for the month.

Determine your AUDIENCE:

Who do you want to join you in your monthly challenge? 

• Just yourself! 
• Your family and friends
• Your parish
• Your social media friends
• Or whomever you want! 

GO!

Once you know what you are going to do, click "Share" to tell us your idea! We encourage you to upload a picture of how you're building a civilization of love to help inspire others to take action too!