Wednesday, September 22, 2010

What does "TKC!" mean? My first draft


Be prepared to put your life on the line in order to enlighten the world with the truth of Christ; to respond with love to hatred and disregard for life; to proclaim the hope of the risen Christ in every corner of the earth.

—POPE BENEDICT XVI, Message to the Young People of the World, World Youth Day, 2008


(quote taken from Mark Mallet's blog)

When I was very sick, after our son was born, I discovered Mark Mallet's music and drew strength from it and his writing. Recently, I re-discovered his writing, thanks be to God. It is at a time in my own journey of faith when I am struggling to improve and live closer to God and His Will. As an aside, something Mark said (somewhere?) in his writing made me reflect on the process of writing: writing is a gift from God and, over and over in my life, I have found that I learn as I write. This is okay. A writer does not have to have it all figured out to perfection before sitting down to write.

Well, as my husband often tells our oldest child, "we must often generalize first before delving into the specifics." Some young people, especially those of the dominant intraverted temperament, have trouble with generalizations. In our daughter's case, and sometimes even in the case of my husband (he would not mind my sharing this), the intravert's sense of justice often thrashes at the obscurity of a generalization or a "not-flushed-out" premise or rhetorical question.

Back to the topic at hand (smile), I am just a housewife and a mom. I love being a housewife and a mom. Over the period of about 4 years, I kept hearing in my prayers a call to join Regnum Christi. I was following a rule of life and trying hard to make all my thoughts, words and actions be little gifts to God. This was not because I was anything great, but I had, all thanks be to God and His graces, come to a certain place spiritually.

I would describe that as a place where we know we are home. We know Who God is, and we want, more than anything on earth, to be a member of His family, both now and throughout all of eternity. This is a good place to be. It is the best place to be, and that is why the three enemies of the soul war with such force to move us from this place.

Christ's Kingdom is not of this earth, yet, at the same time, the light and salt of souls living on earth fully in a state of grace is akin to the Blessed Virgin's standing on the head of the serpent. The devils and his armies are blinded and bound by the light and love of such souls. To aspire to be a child of God is the goal of the earthly life, and it is what will get us to Heaven. To proclaim "TKC!" is to desire Heaven. Okay, think on that.

Please also realize that we often fall short, and sometimes, in this noble pursuit, we fall and fall hard. For those of us who often teeter out, or almost out, of the blessed state of grace, then confidence in our Guardian Angels, the intercession of the Blessed Virgin and the power of the Holy Eucharist will bring us back to full sanity. Sanity of the soul is all that really matters.

I have to go pick up our firstborn from school -- so, "to be continued" and, the good Lord be pleased to give me the time to do it, "to be polished up" too.

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