Ever feel like catching a space shuttle and leaving the earth and all its vices far behind you? I don’t know if it’s just society in general, or the material presented in my classes that are beginning to show me just how outlandishly strange my views are in comparison to all the socially “acceptable” permissiveness that permeates society these days. In my race relations class I have to balance out a form of relativism that asks me to say that whatever we each do as individuals is okay- whether its in regards to views on abortion or homosexuality, or that the merit system should be abolished. Or in my sociology class that focuses on modern changes since the 1950s, the current trends and future consequences of family change. Here we are supposed to believe that the family is changing, that we should begin thinking of cohabiting couples with children as stepfamilies. It is drilled into me that cohabitation is all right; but I’m not smothered in that class. The professor is open-minded and realizes that faith is a driving force, a way of life for some of her students. In my forensic psychology class I am supposed to put my morals on hold and sit still and read about child sexual abuse or just sexual violence in general while my gut reaction is not to read the text and walk away from it all.

I’m open about my faith and Christianity in my family in a changing society sociology class, and other Christians are in my forensic psychology class and have to endure the same moralistic battle each time they crack open the novel we have to read on pedophilia. I know I’m not alone in anything, that I’m not the only one cringing at the string of expletives pouring out of adolescents’ mouths. Nor am I alone in struggling for sexual purity – not so much physically as mentally. Increasingly, I want to be able to hide away from it all, to escape it all together.

In addition to this, I have to learn how to be patient in others’ lives, and I have to let godly expectations and gentleness override bitterness. I know I am not in the minority, that I am not the only one experiencing these societal trends, and the Church is plowing Her way through them as well. However, my mind drifts towards Ave Maria, Florida on occasion. Indeed the prospect of a Roman Catholic city is very attractive, yet we are not supposed to be a segregated city on a hill or a candle hidden under a bucket. If you hide a candle under a bucket, not only are you depriving the non-believers of the Light, but you are depriving yourself of that Light; the light of the candle is neither on you nor anyone else for that matter. But for God’s sake man, don’t think for a moment that hiding away in a city will help the situation. We can lead by example; and we can also lead by speaking the truth. Most importantly, we are Brothers and Sisters in Christ – when your siblings are in need of help, you don’t bicker do you? Of course not, you come to their aide – so as a Church why do we feel so disjointed, like we are not working in unison?