We know that God created Mary with Immaculate purity, because only then, could He bring His Holy Son into this world, to PURIFY it. Mary’s purity, meant her deliberately abstaining from the dark and easy way, in a world heavily influenced by darkness. This is why God could do the marvels He did with her. Being in the womb of the world, if we consecrate ourselves, to the divine purpose of our Mother’s Immaculate Conception; that is, following her immaculate pure ways, God who longs for this cooperation, will use us as His vessel, to do dynamic things in our lives.

You may often find seniors remarking that the days of old, were more God centered, and what life should always be like; that the newer generation with its technology, does things so abominable in the eyes of God. In fact, many pious Christians believe that God is completely against this and will soon bring on the days of chastisement. They are in a hurry for the day of the Lord, hoping all this will be wiped out and we will return to a simple way of life, as in the past. 

The question is, is God really against our progress and the world’s technological development? 

God is a God of progress and He helps the newer generation build, upon the foundations already laid in the past by the older generation. He is this way because He points us out to the fact that our being progressive, is modeled on (yet still nothing in comparison to), the advancement and glories in Heaven (where some of the things described cannot even be explained). 

“The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Revelation 21:21).

Heaven is sheer magnificence and its citizens will have more physical abilities than on earth. For example, in the bible, only after His resurrection, the glorified body of Christ, could appear anywhere and pass through walls. We too will have glorified bodies, after the end of time.

With regard to progress, we need to accept that each new generation, will progress way beyond their predecessors. Our children (even if some of them do not have a flair for academics), will one day be far more advanced than us and we have to humbly accept this, because it is God’s will.

But progress is not only to do with technology, fashion, trends, medicine, etc…

God willed progress in all areas of human life and this has to include spirituality, to strike a perfect balance. We have progressed in all areas, yet our world more than ever, is hanging out of balance, because progress of true spirituality is nowhere in power with worldly progress. Resultantly, all controls are lost. Why?

Man is not only a human being, but a spiritual being, and where his physical being has been gluttonously fed with material progress, his spiritual man is almost malnourished. In fact, since material progress is taking place at lightning speed, more than ever, it essentially needs to be balanced out with adequate spiritual advancement. This helps him take full control over new stirring passions, when the temptations for excess, coming from several material advancements, bombard him and eventually leave him with irreversible damage and lifelong regret. For example: With the development of chemically enriched fast-food in the recent years and the ever emerging delectable varieties, it seems to be the affordable, tasty and ever returning, easy way out of hunger. But at what cost? Our world more than ever, has scores of human beings (God’s prized creation) unnecessarily fighting obesity and multiple health issues, affecting all areas of our life, besides just health. 

Mankind is malnourished because his concentration is only zeroed in on material progress, since he does not know any better. Most of them have never seen nor tasted the effects of the fruit of Christian spiritual nourishment. 

This is just like the disbelieving materialistic pagan Namaan, commander of the Syrian army, who preferred to bathe in the beautiful rivers of Syria than the unappealing Jordan river, until he was astonished because he got healed of leprosy in the Jordan. When he realized that real wealth was not in all that glittered before his eyes, but in the work of the Spirit, he thereafter only believed in the God of Israel.

 “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel.” 2 Kings 5:15

But why is man only focused on material progress? 

Because he goes with the crowd, which is only used to seeing worldly heroes, not much of spiritual influence or influencers. We are in a spirit void desert; with only a few human channels who pursue pure Christian spirituality. To elaborate with an example; with the birth of televised evangelization, we have seen more conversions (yet not enough), even though there are just a few evangelizers. 

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? Romans 10:14 – Now, this is where you and your lineage come in.

In the days of old, not only families but communities actively practiced spirituality. There is great need for spiritually progressive, saintly maternal and paternal examples, to help their child’s mind move into this almost “new to the world” dimension of life; real powerful Christian spirituality. 

When your child has been schooled in the Holy Spirit by his parents’ exemplary lifestyle, as an adult he or she will emerge, taking this hungry world by storm, helping people like Namaan, drink from the fountain of the living waters of Life. 

Just as the younger generation will far outrank their predecessors in material progress, likewise the same principle holds true for spiritual matters! 

We see this great example in scripture. 

The parents of Mary though not sinless, are saints, but from them progressed a sinless human being, the Immaculate Conception, Mary. And further still, from Mary, progressed Jesus, the perfect of all, God-Man; the full stop of all spiritual fullness. 

Similarly with Elizabeth and Zachariah; “They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.” – Luke 1:6

The result of that holy unity, was a young man, who would progress to be even more spiritual than his parents and become the first Christian martyr. Jesus said of him, “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist”- Matthew 11:11. 

Other examples are, a prayerful Hannah who had the prophet Samuel, David who had Solomon and from David’s line itself, we have the Christ.

A spirit of progress in someone, gives birth to a progressive individual of the next generation; he will also inherit his parents’ nature to progress (if he is brought up with such teachings and examples). 

While Mary, the Immaculate Conception was specially chosen by God, to have no stain of original sin, she as the Mother of All Mankind and especially regarding matters of our soul, calls each of us to strive hard and pursue an immaculate saintly soul. 

The renewal Christians have stepped up their spirituality, by increasing their community prayer life – just like the early Christians. And as difficult as it is, but going further in the footsteps of these first saints and martyrs, God is also calling us to strive for their kind of holiness! As His children, we are often immature in understanding the prime importance of this and limit our thoughts, to believing it only has to do with us, but it definitely does not! 

When several people take their Christian living very seriously, not only practice it with prayers and good works, but especially seek out a completely virtuous lifestyle, all the days of their life, God will seek to unify them with a suitable or similar life partner. 

He waits for this, because He has fantastic plans, to make history, when they partner with Him, in bringing to life children, who will be dynamic next generation Catholic leaders, with deep spiritual empowering. This will enable Him to bring perfect progress, to the newer generations. 

So, God is not fed up with the present world’s progress, nor longs to wipe out nearly all Godless people, but He has these great plans with your offspring and you, to help the agnostic or faithless.

 “’In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Acts 2:17

The parents of Saint Pope John Paul II, were deeply spiritual people. Their faith in God at all times and practice of a holy and saintly life amidst trials, were expensive painful examples that the tiny Karol Wojtyła, was seeing before his eyes, steering his heart completely to God. 

Surprisingly, though he was so popular with peers/friends, their worldly impact could not stand a chance in swaying him. He had been so strongly influenced by his parents’ deep rooted Catholic life and powerful example, that it was he who influenced these youth to a holy life, not the other way around. 

In fact when he was a baby, his mother Emilia, while taking him in the stroller, felt led to declare this to her neighbours,”You’ll see, my Lolek will be a great man someday.’”

At times, if we have ever tried to consider that God has such desires of us parents or singles, we dismiss the idea with a laugh, underrating ourselves at the thought of us ever fitting into such a role. This is the work of the deceiver. Because he fears that when you cooperate with God in this way, it is not only to do with your life, but you will leave this world, with the gift of your chosen child, they are thirsting for, which he strongly discourages.  

Secondly, we feel awkward to be the only ones following this call when the people around us do not and may point a finger at us, but we need to strive hard in working towards a very holy way of Catholic living, such that we actually start to discover the hidden treasures and enjoy every moment of living this way. We also need to influence our fellow Catholics in the same way. Why?

Like the early Christians, we need to build strong and holy Catholic communities. These communities set such a mark over the Roman pagans (who had mocked them), that it shook Rome’s very foundation! As a result, Rome and Italy converted to become the center of the Catholic faith!

Our world is not ugly and we should not have the mindset that God wants to put an end to its progression. The truth is, right now our beautifully progressed world is like a farmland with the most lush and delicious fruits of all kind, that entice our senses – many of which is good and enjoyable, but not filling and sustaining. But a good amount of room must also be made for cultivation and harvest of spiritual grain and vegetation, to provide the perfect balance of nutrition, to human life. 

The world is lost in the passion of delectable fruits and unknowingly all the more, hungers for the real food – God’s Word and exemplary way of living, which is scarce. 

Like the devil scared the spies that Moses sent to Cannan, discouraging God’s people from going into the land, so he scares many Catholics today, to be brave enough to live a life of sanctity, modeled on the Immaculate Conception. However, God eventually sent the people to Cannan, for it to become the Holy Land (which could only be with holy practicing people). His reason for this is that the Saviour, the light of the world, could come forth and shine His light of eternal life to the entire world, who slept in darkness!

God has great plans for you as a person; it is definitely not limited to you alone, but through you, He plans to save multitudes of people. For as per His Word, this is what He wants to do with you:

See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.’ Deuteronomy 1:8

Because as per 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

For, “I the LORD have called unto you in righteousness, and have taken hold of your hand, and submitted you as the people’s covenant, as a light unto the nations” Isaiah 42:6.

At the dawn of this Catholic New Year, starting with Advent, let us add a tiny but fervent intention to our daily prayer, asking Jesus to help us be an even better version of ourself, in virtues and grace. 

Just sowing that tiny mustard seed of a prayer in the heart of Jesus, is enough for it to flourish and become the biggest tree, with several birds (people) taking rest in the branches of your Christ like heart.