Deception is having its finest hour

 

 

I was out playing 18 holes of golf on a beautiful, sunny day and one of my teammates hit a hole-in-one!

I suppose I should mention that it was an 18-hole putt-putt course and the "teammate" that got the hole-in-one was our oldest daughter.

Truth is, I grew up kind of close to a golf course and I think I tried golfing, maybe once. I didn't get the attraction to it and I basically lobbed my ball down the fairway.

Needless to say, I wasn't any good at golf, but both times we've played putt-putt this summer, I killed it, beating everyone--not that I'm bragging or anything; it's the truth.

I may have to pull back on my bragging a bit, though, because I have learned that "Boasting or bragging is an offense against truth." (Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2481)

Knowing that "A lie consists in speaking a falsehood with the intention of deceiving," (CCC 2482), I could be in trouble when trying to deceive you about playing an 18-round game of golf.

And finally, I simply cannot wiggle out of this problem because "To lie is to speak or act against the truth in order to lead someone into error." (CCC 2483)

I need to be more careful about what I say, because when I do tell you the truth (that I have been winning at putt-putt), you might not believe me if you discover I have lied elsewhere.

Deception is a big problem today.

We are being deceived when we are told that our economy is great (and we are expected to believe it) when, clearly, our personal experience tells us that is simply not true.

We are being deceived when we are told that we are not in a war with Iran, but we are in a "small potatoes" military conflict. (**PBS) 

Tell that to our military families.

We are being deceived when we are told that anyone whose immigration status is not reconciled yet, must be dangerous and should be deported. This particular movement with ICE leads to hate and violence. 

We are being deceived when we are told that everything we hear and read that comes from a news source that has not been hand-picked by this administration, must be "fake news." 

More and more, the selective group of reporters that are allowed to be part of the briefings at the White House, only ask soft questions, giving us less and less truthful, necessary and useful information.

All of these lies and deceptions have tremendous implications for harm to us, and to our country at-large, if we start believing them to be true.

How can we know what is fake and what is true?

Look at the source. Verify by facts from more than one source. Watch for biases and agendas.

And, just as important, if a statement has unquestionably been proven to be a "falsehood with the intention of deceiving," look "behind the curtain," because without accountability, we can all be led into error.

Pray for peace, joy, and an end to war.

Janet Cassidy
Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com

janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy 

**Direct link to PBS clip:  https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-trump-calls-iran-war-small-potatoes-and-very-intermittent

Controversial?

 

 

I was watching Good Morning America and they had an intriguing report about moms who call themselves "Garden Moms" or "Canna Moms."

That's right, it was about moms who use cannabis in some form to get through a day of raising their kids. Apparently, "it makes it easier."

The one mom they referenced outlined her rules: 

-There is always another adult in the house
-She never drives while using
-The kids are never exposed to the weed and it is always kept out-of-sight

Seems to me that just needing these rules reveals something about it not being a good thing to use. 

"Addiction specialists suggest it should not be used as a 'harmless alternative to alcohol'" according to the GMA report. "It can also have health affects like "mood, memory, attention and heart health."

According to Dr. Lief Fenno, Chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Council on Addiction Psychiatry, "alcohol and marijuana both impair reaction time and decision-making" and people who engage in regular use of marijuana can have their ability to provide life-saving care, make emergency decisions and operate motor vehicles safely, impacted. 

According to the report by GMA's doctor, it is understood that "Cannabis is not medicine," and the most recent study did not find any benefit to it in regards to anxiety, PTSD or psychotic disorders."

She went on to talk about the risks, which are plenty.

In regards to raising children, I'll end with one of my favorite Tom Hanks quotes from A League of their Own, which I have found to be generally applicable:  

"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard . . . is what makes it great." 

Raising kids is not easy. It's not supposed to be. But it can be great.

Clearly, regular use of marijuana or alcohol to take the edge off of raising children is not healthy. If raising your children is a great struggle for you, search for a better alternative, like friendships, or therapy, or taking breaks as needed. Especially, prayer can help.

We learn something from enduring difficulty and overcoming challenges. Like everything else in life, we need to find our way through them, not necessarily around them.

Pray for peace, joy, and an end to war.

Janet Cassidy
Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com

janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy 

 

 

Be kind to yourself

 

As I came to the end of the rosary early one morning, I realized that my fingers on the beads didn't match the words I was praying.

In other words, I came to the end of the rosary before I came to the end of my prayers! 

I have no idea what happened (maybe it was too early in the morning!), but I just finished up and moved on.

As we mature in faith, it becomes easier not to be a stickler when such things happen. For instance, if life gets in the way and I simply cannot (or do not) get my quiet prayer time in as I ought, I just move with the Holy Spirit in the moment and resist the temptation to torment myself. I mean, God surely wouldn't condemn me for it, right?

If you find that you berate yourself when you imperfectly carry out your prayers--or whatever it is you do--try to be more forgiving. 

My husband and I often joke because I will say, "I feel guilty" about whatever, and he'll kindly remind me, "There's always something to feel guilty about."

So true. I think we can be harder on ourselves than God is, sometimes.

A priest we know says that God is bigger than we give him credit for being. Do we really think God is so small? Don't we have to factor in God's love and mercy? 

Let's not forget that when we make our best effort, and sometimes come up short, God isn't standing over us, with his arms folded and his foot tapping, pointing his finger at us!

No, he's loving us in our imperfections. He's loving us as we try. He's loving us as we do our best. He's constantly trying to draw us in because he created us and wants us near him.

When we condemn ourselves for our faults and failures, that is not of God. Be a little kinder to yourself today. God knows you need it!

Pray for peace, joy, and an end to war.

Janet Cassidy
Email me at:  jmctm2@gmail.com

janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy