There are many things I could list as valid reasons of why I have not been posting on a regular basis recently: a hectic schedule leading up to Christmas, various sermons to write, trip out of town with my family, and sickness for 5 out of 6 members of my family. But to be honest I must admit that I sometimes used those reasons merely as an excuse not to write on my blog. It was simply easier not to write anything. And yet I know that writing helps me to understand things better and, therefore, to be more effective at communicating with others. Perhaps those who read this blog don't care whether or not I write, but that does not matter. What matters is that I know what is good for me (to write) and yet I neglected to do it.

But because mankind is fallen we all have a tendency to do the same thing. For instance you've probably heard people say, “I just don't have time to pray.” Or, “I'm too tired to go to Sunday Mass.” Or, “I'm just to busy to learn more about the Faith.” And perhaps we are too busy. After all our society teaches us that we must always be 'doing' something in order to be successful. As proof of what I am saying look at how our society forms children: school for 8 hours a day, a couple of hours of homework every night and an endless procession of extra-curricular activities that is basically non-stop, which are all billed as necessary things so you can get into a good college and 'succeed'. (Yes, a good education is an excellent thing to have; but only if it helps to form us into the persons God wants us to be.) But exactly what is it that we are trying to succeed in doing?

Our ultimate goal in this life is come to know and love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Anything that keeps us from this ultimate goal is not helping us to be successful. Instead, it is at best a waste of our time and at worst leading us away from God for all eternity. In the end it is not really about what we do with our time but why we are doing it. If what we are doing in our lives leaves us too busy for God then why are we doing it? Why do we keep making excuses to do things that don't really matter? If we are too busy, and it seems to me that many (most? all?) of us are, then let us get rid of those things that don't matter and let us stop making excuses.