Seized by Christ

They are experiencing Christianity as joy and hope, having thus become lovers of Christ.

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  • Vocations by the Numbers:

    Why Priestly Life Looks Like a Miracle

    About fifteen years ago, I began to investigate the state of vocations in the Church. What I found was sobering. At that time, in my own diocese, there was about one diocesan priest for every 3,000 Catholic men.

    To an engineer like me, those numbers were staggering. If something happens only once in 3,000 tries, statisticians don’t call it normal — they call it an anomaly, an outlier, or even an error. The positive spin we use in the Church is “miracle.”

    But think of what that means: if vocations really were chosen at random, it would take the equivalent of tossing a coin twelve times and having it come up heads every time before a man became a priest. If that actually happened, most of us would laugh, say it was a bum toss, and start over.

    What if Priestly Vocations Were Realistic?

    Just for the sake of discussion, I asked myself: what if one priestly vocation came from every 100 men? That’s still not a majority, but it’s at least in the realm of possibility.

    In statistical terms, that would be like tossing seven coins and having them all land heads — odds of about 1 in 128. Far more likely than 1 in 3,000.

    If we applied this across a parish or diocese, the numbers look very different:

    • Assume people live about 83 years, or roughly 1,000 months.
    • That means people are born and die at about the same rate: one born, one die, per 1,000 people each month.
    • If a priest’s ministry spans half his life, then at any given time there whould be 1 priest for every 200 men.
    • With half the Church being women, that would mean 1 priest for every 400 Catholics.
    • There would be every year 1 new priest for every 16,000 Catholics.

    Take a parish of 2,000 families — say 5,2000 parishioners. By this ratio, we should have 12 to 13 priests in that one parish. And it would produce roughly 1 new priest vocation every 3. years. (16,000 / 5,000)
    Take my diocese, with about 1.6 million Catholics. By this measure, we should have 4,000 priests. And we should have about 100 men becoming new priests every year.

    The reality, of course, is nowhere near that.

    A Sobering Comparison

    We treat marriage very differently. Even with falling rates, still around half of people marry. When it drops, we call it a tragedy.

    But imagine if marriage happened at the same rate as priesthood — once in 3,000. Would we even call it a “vocation,” or just a statistical accident?

    That is the dilemma with vocations today. By the numbers, the priesthood no longer looks like a reasonable life option for Catholic men. It looks like winning the lottery.

    And yet, the Church depends on it.

    To be continued: In the next reflection, I’ll share how I asked myself: what if we replaced the seven coin tosses with seven questions? If a man could answer “yes” to all seven, maybe he should seriously consider a consecrated vocation.

  • 8 Questions on the Road from Christian to Catholic

    From following Christ to belonging to His Church

    After reflecting on the eight questions that move a person toward Christ, I realized there is a further journey: the road from being Christian to being Catholic. Many stop halfway, content with believing in Christ without entering the fullness of His Church. But if Christianity is real, it must lead to the Church Christ founded.

    Here are eight questions that guide that second step:

    1. Is the Catholic Church the Church that God founded?
    2. Do you believe its history?
    3. Are you Catholic because you are Christian?
    4. Is the Church the Body of Christ?
    5. Do you profess with the Nicene Creed: One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic?
    6. Do you recognize the Church as the fullness of goodness?
    7. Do you accept her teaching as the fullness of truth?
    8. Do you see her life as the fullness of beauty?

    These questions deepen the challenge. To be Catholic is not merely to add rules, traditions, or identity markers. It is to believe that Christ did not leave us orphans but founded a visible Body — one, holy, catholic, and apostolic — where His truth, goodness, and beauty are made present.

    The first eight questions bring you to Christ. These eight lead you all the way home.

  • 8 Questions on the Road to Christ

    From seeking the truth to being seized by Christ

    On my journey of reflection, I came across a simple yet profound set of questions often used to guide a person from unbelief to faith. These eight steps move from basic honesty with oneself to the heart of Christianity:

    1. Are you being honest with yourself?
    2. Do you seek the truth?
    3. Is there some kind of God? (atheism vs. theism) — 5/6 of the world believes in some kind of god.
    4. Is it one God or many? (monotheism vs. polytheism) — about half of the world believes in one God.
    5. Is all God, or is He present but separate? (pantheism vs. Creator).
    6. Is God morally good, or is He indifferent to good and evil?
    7. Did God simply wind up the world, or is He present in history?
    8. Is God one person or three? Is Jesus His Son? One-third of the world is Christian.

    Each of these questions acts as a step on the “road to Christ.” They push us to examine what we believe, and why. Yet, even after answering all eight in favor of Christianity, there is still a deeper question that cannot be ignored.

    Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI) expressed it this way:

    Have you experienced an event or person which gives life a new horizon, and a decisive direction? Do you experience it as joy and hope? Are you inwardly seized by Christianity, and have you become a lover of Christ?

    That final question makes all the difference. It cuts to the heart: how many who call themselves “christian” (with a small c) have truly become Christian (with a capital C) in this deeper sense?

    The journey is not only about intellectual assent but about encounter, transformation, and love. Without that, the “road to Christ” remains unfinished.

  • The Best Version of Yourself—or Something Greater?

    I first heard the phrase “the best version of yourself” on a business trip to Singapore. Later I heard Matthew Kelly use it, and I wondered—who said it first? Did he pick it up somewhere, or did others pick it up from him?

    Either way, whenever I hear it, I start asking questions. How many versions of myself are there supposed to be? It almost sounds like we’re meant to carry around a closet of personalities. “Today I’ll be Mr. Jekyll. Tomorrow I’ll be the thief. On Sunday I’ll put on my Christian self.” If that’s the case, then which one is the authentic self? And if I have to choose my “best” version, what does that say about all the rest?

    Maybe I’m on version 2.8 of my “best self” today—but what about 2.9, or 3.0? What if the best I can muster still isn’t very good? Do I just keep patching and upgrading like faulty software? Or will people ask, “Is that really your best version, or are you holding something back?”

    The more I hear this phrase, the more I think it misses the point. It makes “the best version of yourself” sound like something you accomplish on your own. But the truth is different: the best version of me is nothing compared to letting Christ live through me.

    And strangely enough, the more I put others first, the more “myself” I become. When I serve, I am surrounded by love and goodwill that multiplies my life far beyond what I could build alone. My “best version” is not about polishing up a private identity—it’s about creating the best version of my service, the best version of my vocation.

    So maybe the question isn’t, What’s the best version of yourself? but Who lives in you? Who do you belong to? Because if it’s just me, the best I can do is never enough. But if it’s Christ—then there is no limit.

    Epilogue: Where Did the Phrase Come From?

    The phrase “the best version of yourself” has become popular in motivational and self-help circles, but it has been especially tied to the work of Matthew Kelly, the Catholic author and speaker. Kelly made it a central theme in his books and talks, and for many people, the phrase is now inseparable from his message of spiritual renewal.

    That said, the idea itself isn’t unique to him. The broader self-improvement world has long promoted similar concepts about unlocking your potential, achieving your highest goals, or striving to become your “best self.”

    But here is the caution: when this phrase is left vague or purely self-focused, it can become just another slogan. It risks making people restless, always chasing after some imagined “best” that never arrives.

    Which brings us back to the Christian answer. The “best version” of you is not something you design or manufacture—it is what happens when Christ lives in you. Left to ourselves, we are always chasing. With Him, we are finally becoming.

    Developed with assistance from ChatGPT-5

  • False Eternities and the Monster That Devours Nations

    Pope Benedict’s warning for our age


    “You see, man strives for eternal joy; he would like pleasure in the extreme, would like what is eternal. But when there is no God, it is not granted to him and it cannot be. Then he himself must now create something that is fictitious, a false eternity.” — Pope Benedict XVI

    Every human heart longs for joy without end. We are not satisfied with passing pleasures; we want what lasts forever. Yet when God is removed from the horizon, eternity slips out of reach. The desire does not vanish—it mutates. Man tries to build “false eternities,” counterfeits of heaven that promise happiness but cannot deliver.

    This craving becomes restless, unable to be content with reality. And from this restlessness, Pope Benedict warns, arise destructive forces: arrogance, boredom, and a false idea of freedom. The result is what he calls a “devil’s paradise.”

    Drugs, sex tourism, consumerism—these are not just personal vices. They are entire counterfeit worlds, whole systems that consume lives, families, and nations. Addiction fuels industries that exhaust whole countries. Exploitation of youth and sex tourism ravage generations. Consumerism turns entire societies into slaves of appetite.

    “It is as if an evil monster had its hand on the country,” Benedict says, “corrupting the people, destroying youth, tearing apart families, leading to violence, and endangering the future of entire nations.”

    This is more than a moral warning; it is a prophetic one. False eternities do not remain private—they devour cultures.

    What, then, is the Christian answer? Benedict insists:

    • The eternity man seeks comes only from God.
    • God alone is the first necessity to withstand the afflictions of this time.
    • Christians must not only proclaim this truth, but live it—embodying the eternity we have already begun to taste in Christ.

    This is a sign of our times. It is also our challenge. The choice before us is stark: either false eternities that enslave, or the true eternity that saves. Only in God does our restless desire find its home—and only in Him can nations be healed from the monster that devours them.

    Developed with assistance from ChatGPT-5

  • Take Up Your Cross:

    The Hero’s Anthem of Discipleship

    At Mass today, the congregation sang a hymn that almost reads like a hero’s anthem:

    “Take up thy cross,” the Savior said,
     “if thou wouldst my disciple be;
     deny thyself, the world forsake,
     and humbly follow after Me.”

    “Take up thy cross, let not its weight
     fill thy weak spirit with alarm;
     His strength shall bear thy spirit up,
     and brace thy heart, and nerve thine arm.”

    “Take up thy cross, nor heed the shame,
     nor let thy foolish pride rebel;
     thy Lord for thee the cross endured,
     to save thy soul from death and hell.”

    “Take up thy cross, and follow Christ,
     nor think till death to lay it down;
     for only they who bear the cross
     may hope to wear the glorious crown.”

    At first glance, it is a call to discipleship, a reminder to endure suffering, and a promise of eternal reward. But the hymn also mirrors the archetypal Hero’s Journey:

    • The Call to Adventure: The Savior invites each disciple to leave comfort behind, deny selfish desires, and step into a path of transformation.
    • Supernatural Aid: Divine strength sustains the believer, just as mythic heroes receive guidance and power from mentors or gods.
    • The Road of Trials: Enduring shame, temptation, and inner resistance is the crucible that refines courage, humility, and faith.
    • The Ultimate Boon: The crown at the journey’s end is victory over death and union with God—eternal life as the hero’s reward.
    • Return to the World: Though the cross is carried daily, the disciple’s journey inspires others, becoming a witness of hope and courage in the ordinary world.

    In essence, the hymn frames discipleship as a heroic quest. Each cross we bear is both trial and triumph, each act of faith a step along the path of transformation. It reminds us that true heroism is not the absence of suffering, but the courage to endure, the humility to trust, and the hope that, in the end, life’s ultimate reward is already glimpsed in faith.

    The lyrics are by: Everest, Charles William, M.A

    Written with assistance from ChatGPT-5

  • Freedom of Religion and the Courage to Listen

    Respectful Sharing Strengthens Faith, not Fear.

    Freedom of religion means more than just the right to believe privately. It also implies that no one should be offended simply because someone shares their faith. After all, whenever people talk with us—about life, health, politics, or anything else—they are really sharing what they believe. Religion is no different.

    If you are firm in your faith, hearing another perspective should only strengthen your own conviction. If you are not firm, it may reveal that you are still searching. But violence or hostility toward another’s witness usually signals insecurity, not strength.

    Of course, freedom also requires respect. If someone is badgering you or distracting you from your purpose, it is fair to set boundaries. And this works both ways. If you share your faith with someone and they show no interest beyond a simple conversation, move on. It may not be for them—or it may not yet be their time. Pushing too hard can close the very door you hope will one day open.

    True freedom of religion is not silence, but respectful exchange. It gives room for each heart to seek truth in peace.

    Developed with assistance from ChatGPT-5

    Follow-up Reflection:
    Freedom of Religion, Truth, and the Search for Eternity – Why freedom demands responsibility in faith.

  • Freedom of Religion, Truth, and the Search for Eternity

    Why freedom demands responsibility in faith

    We live in an age where freedom of religion is widely affirmed. At its core, this means that every person has the right to believe as they choose. No one should be forced into faith, nor punished for following their conscience.

    But that freedom also brings a serious responsibility. If adults are free to choose, then each of us should be intentional about our choice. Why would anyone remain in a religion they believe is not the best path for them? A thoughtful person should seek out the truth, weigh what is offered, and decide what is truly worth staking their life on.

    As Catholics, we believe Jesus’ words: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). For us, Heaven is where Christ is. To someone outside the faith, however, that may not sound appealing. If their idea of heaven is life without Jesus, then by definition, their “heaven” would actually be part of what Christians call hell.

    This doesn’t mean we condemn others. In fact, freedom of religion cuts both ways. If I claim Christ as the only way, my neighbor has just as much right to claim otherwise. What we don’t have the right to do is force conversion or resort to violence in the name of truth. Our call is different: to witness, to invite, to live a life that reflects the joy of knowing Christ.

    And this is where Pope Benedict XVI’s insight becomes urgent. In Light of the World (2010), he reflects on what happens when people reject God’s eternity:

    “Man strives for eternal joy; he would like pleasure in the extreme, would like what is eternal. But when there is no God, it is not granted to him and it cannot be. Then he himself must now create something that is fictitious, a false eternity… A craving for happiness has developed that cannot content itself with things as they are. The destructive processes at work in that are extraordinary and are born from the arrogance, the boredom, and the false freedom of the Western world.”

    Drugs, sex tourism, consumerism—Benedict calls these “false eternities,” counterfeit paradises that destroy families, enslave nations, and wound the dignity of entire peoples. They promise joy, but deliver despair.

    The alternative is not complicated. It is Christ. In Him, we taste eternity even now: peace that lasts, joy that cannot be taken away, love that gives life. Freedom of religion allows each person to choose—but only Christ offers a freedom that endures beyond this world.

    So what do we do as Christians?

    • Hold fast to the truth, without arrogance.
    • Respect others’ freedom, without compromise.
    • Live in such a way that others glimpse Heaven through us.

    Freedom of religion gives us the right to believe as we will. But the Gospel gives us the reason to believe as we should.

    Developed with assistance from ChatGPT-5

    Follow-up Reflection:
    Freedom of Religion and the Courage to Listen – Respectful sharing strengthens faith, not fear.

  • 10 RAZÕES PARA BUSCAR JESUS

    Se você realmente conhecesse Jesus, então realmente O amaria. Descubra como Ele pode transformar sua vida e guiá-lo a viver com amor, propósito e alegria em todos os aspectos do seu dia a dia.

    1. Jesus Cristo é a perfeição do homem porque Ele é a perfeição do amor. Se desejamos ser o melhor que podemos ser, devemos aspirar a ser como Cristo. No entanto, não conseguimos alcançar isso por nós mesmos.
    2. Quando convidamos Cristo para nossas vidas, Ele se faz presente em nós e através de nós. Assim, embora sejamos pecadores desesperançados, nos tornamos portadores da perfeição do homem. De fato, não há lugar para orgulho, pois todo o bem que fazemos vem Dele. Não podemos nos apropriar dele.
    3. Através da Sua graça, vencemos o pecado, o sofrimento e a morte. Nossos pecados passados e quaisquer faltas futuras já foram pagos pelo preço da Sua morte e ressurreição. A maioria dos novos pecados pode ser evitada mantendo nossos olhos fixos em Jesus.A dor do sofrimento se transforma em amor pelo sacrifício de Cristo, nosso propósito. O sofrimento só existe nas áreas de nós mesmos às quais ainda nos apegamos. Nas áreas em que morremos para nós mesmos e nos entregamos a Ele, a morte não tem mais poder. Para muitos santos, isso é apenas um passo através de um véu.
    4. Recebemos os olhos e o coração de Cristo. Vemos quanto Cristo ama todos ao nosso redor e percebemos onde eles foram feridos. 
    5. Tudo o que possuímos — habilidade, esforço, motivação, conhecimento — é inútil se não estiver a serviço do amor, de Cristo.
    6. Vivemos em verdadeira alegria, paz e amor. Se estamos realizando o Seu trabalho — o trabalho para o qual fomos criados — será a maior aventura que poderíamos ter (com o melhor final).
    7. Somos lavados em Seu amor. Apreciamos que Jesus nos amou tanto que morreu por nossos pecados. Aquele que morreu por nós nunca nos abandonará. Podemos saber que, quando falamos, Ele nos escuta. Ele sempre nos espera na quietude de nossos corações. Compreendemos que tudo o que nos acontece é Sua bênção. É o melhor que poderia nos acontecer.
    8. Ao deixá-Lo viver através de nós, podemos ser melhores cônjuges, pais, filhos, funcionários, chefes, empresários, vendedores, clientes, colegas, estudantes, professores, amigos e cidadãos. Mostrando respeito, colocando os outros em primeiro lugar, agindo com honestidade, diligência, paciência, perseverança, amor, misericórdia e lealdade, adquirimos o caráter ideal em todas essas áreas.
    9. Mantendo os olhos fixos em Cristo, podemos nos sacrificar para ajudar a vencer o pecado e o sofrimento no mundo à nossa volta. Podemos oferecer a outra face em vez de buscar vingança. Em vez de contribuir para o caos, podemos ser uma fonte de cura. O cristianismo foi a origem do respeito e da dignidade para toda a humanidade, bem como para os animais e o meio ambiente. Essas bases sustentaram grande parte do progresso da civilização desde Cristo. Onde o cristianismo foi eliminado, como nos regimes comunistas, vemos claramente o que o reino do mal traz.

    “…Quanto às misérias e pecados que ele ouvia diariamente no mundo, ele não os repreendia. Pelo contrário, ficava surpreso que não houvesse mais, considerando a malícia da qual os pecadores eram capazes. Por sua parte, ele orava por eles, sabendo que Deus poderia remediar o mal que causaram quando quisesse, e não se preocupava mais com isso.” –  —Irmão Lourenço em Cristo

    1. Podemos ajudar outros a conhecer o amor de Cristo. Serão necessários bilhões de mártires para superar o mal cometido em nome de Cristo. Serão necessários muitos mais mártires vivos para levar Cristo a todas as pessoas sem esperança neste mundo. Se o cristianismo é um encontro pessoal com Cristo, então o Cristo que as pessoas encontram deve ser apresentado através de nós.

    Translated and Edited by ChatGPT-5

  • 10 RAZONES PARA BUSCAR A JESÚS

    Si Realmente Conocieras a Jesús, Entonces Realmente le Amarías.

    1. Jesucristo es la perfección del hombre, porque Él es la perfección del amor. Si deseamos llegar a ser lo mejor que podemos ser, debemos aspirar a ser como Cristo. Sin embargo, por nosotros mismos no podemos lograrlo.
    2. Cuando invitamos a Cristo a nuestras vidas, Él se hace presente en nosotros y a través de nosotros. Así, aunque somos pecadores sin esperanza, nos convertimos en portadores de la perfección humana. No hay lugar para el orgullo, porque todo lo bueno que hacemos viene de Él. No podemos atribuirnos el mérito.
    3. A través de Su gracia vencemos al pecado, al sufrimiento y a la muerte. Nuestros pecados pasados y cualquier falta futura ya fueron pagados por el precio de Su muerte y Su resurrección . La mayoría de los pecados futuros pueden evitarse si mantenemos nuestros ojos fijos en Jesús.La tortura del sufrimiento se transforma en amor al sacrificio de Cristo, nuestro propósito. El sufrimiento solo persiste en aquellas áreas de nuestra personalidad a las que aún nos aferramos. En aquellas áreas en que hemos muerto a nosotros mismos y nos hemos entregado a Él, la muerte ya no tiene aguijón. Para muchos santos, la muerte fue simplemente atravesar un velo.
    4. Tenemos los ojos y el corazón de Cristo. Vemos cuánto ama Cristo a todos los que nos rodean, y vemos dónde han sido heridos. 
    5. Todo lo mejor que tenemos —habilidad, esfuerzo, motivación y conocimiento— no sirve de nada si no está al servicio de Cristo, que es el Amor.
    6. Vivimos en verdadera alegría, paz y amor. Si estamos haciendo Su obra, la obra para la cual fuimos creados, será la mayor aventura que jamás podríamos tener, con el mejor final. 
    7. Seremos lavados en Su amor. Reconocemos que Jesús nos amó tanto que murió por nuestros pecados. Y Él, que murió por nosotros, nunca nos abandonará. Podemos estar seguros de que cuando hablamos, Él nos escucha. Siempre nos espera en la quietud de nuestros corazones. Comprendemos que todo lo que nos sucede es Su bendición para nosotros; es lo mejor que puede pasarnos.
    8. Dejándolo vivir a través de nosotros, podemos ser mejores esposos, padres, hijos, empleados, jefes, empresarios, vendedores, clientes, compañeros, estudiantes, profesores, amigos y ciudadanos. Mostrando respeto, estando dispuestos a poner a otros primero, con honestidad, diligencia, paciencia, perseverancia, amor, misericordia y lealtad, adquirimos el carácter ideal en todas estas áreas.
    9. Manteniendo los ojos fijos en Cristo, podemos sacrificar para ayudar a vencer el pecado y el sufrimiento en el mundo que nos rodea. Podemos poner la otra mejilla en lugar de buscar venganza. En vez de contribuir al caos, podemos ser una fuente de sanación. El cristianismo ha sido el origen del respeto y la dignidad hacia toda la humanidad, así como hacia los animales y el medio ambiente. Estas han sido las bases de la mayor parte del avance de la civilización desde Cristo. En las regiones donde el cristianismo ha sido eliminado, como bajo los regímenes comunistas, es claro lo que trae el reino del mal.

    “… en cuanto a las miserias y los pecados que él escucha todos los días en el mundo, estaba tan lejos de preguntarle a ellos, que, al contrario, estaba sorprendido que no hubiera más, teniendo en cuenta la malicia de la que los pecadores eran capaces. Por su parte, el oró por ellos, pero sabiendo que Dios puede remediar el daño que hicieron cuando él quisiera, él mismo no dio más problemas.” –  Hermano Lorenzo en Cristo

    1. Podemos ayudar a que otros conozcan el amor de Cristo. Tomará un billón de mártires para superar el mal hecho en nombre de Cristo. Y se necesitarán muchos más mártires vivos —aquellos que ofrecen su vida día a día— para llevar a Cristo a todas las personas sin esperanza en este mundo. Si el cristianismo es un encuentro personal con Cristo, el Cristo que las personas encuentren debe presentarse a través de nosotros.