Birthday month entry: March 6th

Don't let anyone take away your confidence in who you are and your God-given gifts, even yourself. I've heard from many people who are my age about being discouraged about taking the jobs they want because their parents tell them "it's not a college job" or "it won't make them enough to move up in the world". I've even heard from people that have attempted suicide because they felt discouraged and disowned by their parents because their natural abilities didn't meet their family's expectations. I shouldn't have to hear that a person's family is the reason why they wanted to kill themself. Instead, I should be hearing about how families are encouraging their children to follow God's Will for them despite what the world says. This is one of the many tragedies of this secular society where people have to deny themselves not for holiness, but for worldly rewards and pleasures that are temporary and are gone faster than the blowing of the wind.

Birthday month entry: March 5th

Watch your wording. The way you word things can mean different things in different contexts especially when they come from certain people. For example, different Christian denominations might say "you are saved by faith and God's grace" but each denomination means something different because there is the implication that you have to accept the rest of whatever they consider dogma.
Another example would be from my teacher in college who said "it doesn't align with what I think is true", which could mean that she values only what convinces her to be true rather than what is true. This is a common case where how you unconsciously or sometimes consciously give away your true motives and feelings about something.

Birthday month entry: March 4th

Because of the secular nature of today's society, people have lost the thirst for truth. Many go about their day not knowing their own beliefs, religion, and philosophy while claiming that's it's not important, they already know enough, or that they'll learn more about it when they have time and money. This ignorance for truth has lead many to make up their own beliefs supported by evidence they claim is true just because it agrees with them when they should really be researching into truth and eventually reach Catholicism where the fullness of truth is found.

This Weight I Carry: Chapter 3 – Taking Justice in Your Own Hands

Chapter 3 – Taking Justice in Your Own Hands

“I think we should stop while we’re ahead.”

“Why should we when we’re doing the right thing?”

“It doesn’t seem right. Just look at what we’ve started. Look at how much fighting there is now.”

“That’s just a natural result of good fighting against evil.”

“But so many people have been hurt.”

“Isn’t the love we share, worth it?”

“I don’t…”

“Let that kiss be a reminder. I love you and I’m going to do everything I can to keep us together no matter what anyone says.”

Julianna wakes up and looks at Grayson who is sleeping right next to her. She caresses his face and goes back to sleep. It’s night and most of the city’s inhabitants are asleep except for the Church’s nightguards and the sinners who are still trying to find ways to cure their conditions without the Church. Among the sinners are a young brother and sister, Astra and Astro, two twins who are looking through a deserted marketplace for food and supplies.

“Astro, shouldn’t we be worried about the Church sending people to collect this?”

“You shouldn’t worry about it, Astra. They’re too busy taking care of their own and the people that suck up to them. Besides, this area isn’t of too much interest to them because of how deserted it is.”

“I wonder why the Church hasn’t taken over the entire country yet.”

“It’s because this whole effect of sin is still relatively new to the world. I doubt having them in power is going to be too different from the way things were before.”

After stuffing their bags with supplies, the twins run back to a shelter and drop off their bags to a thankful crowd. They eat by themselves outside while looking out at the part of the city that’s lit up.

“Do you think things will ever get better?” Astra asks.

“I do,” Astro answers, “What are you worried about?”

“I’m not worried.”

“You seem worried and you shouldn’t because I’m here.” Astro holds his sister’s hand. “We’re going to make things better starting today.”

Astro and Astra go out again with their bags and go to several churches in the area. They tell the neighboring people around it about the people in need then leave them a small bear to remember them by. While out, they come across Julianna and Grayson chasing a thief. Astro and Astra cut off the thief and trip him up so the two can catch her.

“You two should stay out of danger, but thanks for your help anyway,” Julianna says.

“It’s no problem, miss. We’re glad to help,” Astro says before they go their separate ways.

“Maybe we should get them to help us,” Astra asks Astro.

“Nah, we don’t need their help. Plus, they look busy helping other people out like we do.”

Astro and Astra go to several locations to drop off bears that Astra makes. They make sure no one is around, and no one can see them hide the dolls within the building when they drop them off. Once that’s done, they go to the top of the highest building they can access.

“This is for you, mom and dad. Do it, Astra,” Astro says.

Astra activates her ability and the places they were at start to burn down.

“Yeah! That’s what you get for being thieves and murderers!” Astro yells out while his sister quietly smiles.

They go to the crowds in the city to hear that the Church has arrested several criminals who came out of the burning buildings and that they’ve taken out the fires and taken everything within the buildings.

“So, some of them got away. I might know where they might’ve gone,” Astro says aloud.

Astro leads Astra to the part of the city that sits near a river. While looking through the boarded up buildings, they come across Julianna and Grayson again.

“What are you kids doing here? It’s dangerous,” Julianna says.

“Don’t worry about us. We have powers to defend ourselves with,” Astro says.

“That doesn’t mean you should be here. You don’t know how dangerous people out here can be.”

“I do. I’ve lost my family to dangerous people and I’m going to make sure that no one else does. At least not when I’m around.”

“You’ve got the right intentions, kid, but you’re in over your head. If you want to be part of the law enforcement, then you should join the Church’s guard when you’re older.”

“The Church couldn’t protect my family and friends, so why would I trust them with that?”

“I know the people in the Church can be full of bad people, but you have to realize that it’s the only source of truth, goodness, and salvation. You can’t find it anywhere else.”

“I go to church on Sundays and do my confessions. I don’t need them for anything else.”

“Okay, we’re getting off topic. You can tag along, but don’t put yourself in danger.”

“Deal.”

As the four of them walk through the empty streets, they hear people talking. Julianna looks around until she sees a sliver of light coming out from one of the buildings. She goes up to see the escaped criminals talking about how they’re going to escape the city. While Julianna and Grayson plan out their attack, Astro and Astra already are putting their plan into action. Astra sends a bear into a hole in the basement window. In a matter of minutes, Julianna watches the same bear enter the room the criminals are in.

“What the?” she says before the bear explodes into a gas that knocks out the criminals.

“See? We can handle ourselves,” Astro confidently says.

“You did that?”

“Kind of. My sister can make things that explode into whatever she wants. She typically makes bears because our mom used to make them. I can control those things and move them around.”

“That’s some ability you both have.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to join the Church’s guard? I don’t exactly get along with my bosses, but we do a lot of good for the city.”

“Hmmm. What are the perks?”

“You won’t be homeless, you’ll be well fed, you’ll have real clothes, and more.”

“I’ll think about it. Bring me there so I can see it for myself.”

“Okay.”

Julianna and Grayson take Astro and Astra along with the knocked out criminals to the primary place where people with abilities meet up. Astro and Astra watch in amazement as the people outside the building show off their abilities. Some breathe fire, create living statues, bend water, and even elongate their limbs to grab things in the far distance. A priest overseeing it all meets Julianna and Grayson halfway as Grayson hands off the criminals to some guards who take them away in cuffs.

“Julianna and Grayson are back!” the priest says.

Astro and Astra stop dead in their tracks.

“Hey, we have two amazing kids that you might want…Huh? What’s wrong?” Julianna asks the twins.

“Julianna and Grayson…Are you the priest and the nun who fought the Church by leading a so-called movement of love against it?” Astro asks.

“Oh, you know that about us? We’re not like that anymore, so you don’t have to worry about-”

“Murderers! You killed everyone we cared about!” Astra yells out as several explosions go off in the city.

The bears that she handed out to people and the others she’s made explode all throughout the city. Fire starts coming out of the body, eyes, and mouth of Astro and Astra as they burn with hatred.

“Calm down! That’s all behind us now!”

“It isn’t behind us! We lost everything because of you!” Astro yells.

“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry about what we did! We’re still doing our penance for it. How can we make up what we did to you?”

“You can die!” Astra says as she forms a massive bear monsters with her powers that Astro uses to fight against Grayson and others with powers.

A couple of the bears charge into the building and explode while others explode when they can no longer fight. Seeing only one way to end this, Grayson charges forward and takes the explosions head on so he can reach Astro and Astra to knock them out. He then falls to the ground.

“Grayson!” Julianna yells as she runs to him.

A person with healing abilities heals his wounds as another take Astro and Astra in while the others start to clean up the mess from the battle and go to put out the fires.

One of the commanding priests goes up to Julianna and asks, “What were they talking about, if I may ask?”

“When we were still heretics, Grayson and I would attack whoever wouldn’t convert from the Church to try to convince the others of our strength that we thought was holy. Sometimes we would attack families. We didn’t care as long as we thought we made a difference. I’m sorry we brought this on you.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. They let their anger and sorrow get the best of them. We’ll take care of them and make sure they get the proper care they deserve.”

“I still feel guilty about what happened maybe even more now because of what the kids did.”

“God knows you’re sorry and He can see all you’ve done to make up for what you’ve done. You’ve done so much good ever since you came back to the Church.”

“I hope so.”

After everything settles down, the commanding priests order Julianna and Grayson to stay away from all churches and communities for a while until the consequences of their sins blow over. With no choice in the matter, the two go out into an isolated part of the city and sleep in a ruined house. Grayson tries to make Julianna as comfortable as possible by being her pillow and blanket. She starts to breakdown in tears as she holds his arm.

“I’m so sorry for everything that I’ve done to you, Grayson. This wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t drag you along with me. I should be the one who looks like a monster. You shouldn’t have told God that you wanted to take my punishment for me. If anyone deserves a second chance, it’s you. I’m sorry for saying you look like a monster it’s just that…I know you can’t talk right now and that you want to but…”

Grayson holds Julianna tighter as she cries more as she understands what he’s saying.

Birthday month entry: March 3rd

Where you are is where you're meant to be. Many people today try to "move up" in the world in terms of wealth and possessions, but that's not what you should focus on. What you should focus on is what God wants of you, your family, your health, and those you care about. God is in control of everything and if He wants you to have more, you'll have more. If He wants you to have less, you'll have less. What you have now is temporary and the only thing that matters is getting yourself and helping others get to Heaven.

Birthday month entry: March 2nd

The primary factor in the degradation of today's society is a lack of people wanting to do God's will over their own. One of the areas this is most obvious in is the way some parents raise their children. They shouldn't be surprised when their family is torn apart when they send their children to schools that don't teach them the importance of the love of God, family, and country. Families should have God as their center of attention otherwise the source of authority for the parents and a reason to love and care for one another is gone.

March 1st Birthday Month Post

Today starts my birthday month posts with a special post about different topics that are special to me. I'll try to keep them as brief but as concise as possible since I and many others have written books around these topics.
First things first. If you are not a Catholic, I don't consider you to be Christian. Non-Catholic Christianity is a Christianity tainted with sin, heresy, and pride. It is a man-made version of the faith God handed down to us and should be avoided at all costs. Being anything other than Catholic or trying to become a good Catholic will lead you to Hell.