There is a great need for modern Catholic men to restore their goodwill toward God. Goodwill cannot only be based on good intentions and feelings, it needs to be shown by our actions. Reverence and adoration are worthy acts of the Real Presence of Christ, however, more is needed.
There is one critical act that is missing in the Novus Ordo church; it is the act of care for the Eucharist during Holy Communion. We receive the Eucharist in the hand, just as we would receive ordinary bread. In both cases, bread particles break off in the hand and fall to the ground. However the Eucharist is no longer bread, but Christ falling to the ground and is trampled on, just as bread crumbs would fall on the ground and be trampled on.
Hence the care that we need to give to the Eucharistic King, must be different from that of receiving ordinary bread. Our care for the well-being of the Body of Christ the King must be restored. This is the GOODWILL PRINCIPLE.
GOODWILL
Many will say that receiving Holy Communion on the hand is licit, and so many practice this form. However, is it truly goodwill to receive Holy Communion on the hand? No faithful Catholic will dispute that Eucharistic particles break off on the hand, which then falls to the ground and is trampled on. This is Christ being trampled on. Yet the majority of Catholics will choose to ignore this or deny it is still Christ because it will upend their preferred form of worshiping their King and God.
The manner of worshiping God has taken precedence over God Himself. Yet we are to be men of goodwill. The expression "walk all over" someone, means having a lack of respect and goodwill for someone. In the case of Eucharistic particles being on the floor, it is Christ who is being literally walked all over.
"Love does no harm to a neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." ~ Romans 13:10
Christ teaches us, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," but who is Christ to us, a neighbour? If it is not ok to trample on your neighbour, why should it be ok to trample on Christ, who is so much more? We must ask ourselves, are we truly men of goodwill towards God?
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Moral character is assessed not by what a man knows but by what he loves."
~ St. Augustine
Communion in the hand may be licit, but is it the fulfillment of the law which is love, and to love there must be goodwill to the truth and to God.
PRINCIPLE
To have principles means steadfastly adhering to one's rules or beliefs. As Catholic men we need to be faithful, to act accordingly to our faith. This can mean even dying for what we believe in. This is the reason why we have many Saints who are martyrs. This is belief in their faith and having the principle to stand by it. One who is of principle - appropriately practices as one believes.
Having faith requires having principles. What would be the point if we say we believe but do not put it into practice? It is dead. [James 2:26]
In our life, our faith and principles face challenges every day, large and small. Sometimes the small challenges, dealing with seemingly minuscule truth, can largely affect one's integrity by not following the principle of that truth. Many see this truth as being unimportant, something that can be overlooked. No one is pointing out this truth, no one is enforcing the principle, and no one cares about it let alone defend it. The onus is solely on oneself and one's faith and principles. Ultimately, he knows if he is sincere in goodwill for God, he acts on principles that give glory to God and defend God.
If someone forced you under the threat of harm, would you trample on the crucifix? A principled man would not do it. This begs the question: why would any principled man, voluntarily go to a Novus Ordo church and trample (unavoidably), not on a crucifix, but on Our Lord Himself?
A principled man knowing the truth would not do this, he would take the necessary actions to avoid this, and seek out Traditional Latin Mass churches, where he can receive God worthily. He accepts the truth and does not need any excuses to explain away this truth. He knows what is right and wrong, and he does what is right.
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“Moral issues are always terribly complex for someone without principles.”
- Gilbert K. Chesterton.
BELIEF
We must be honest with what we believe, this is our integrity - our morals. We do things because we either believe in something or we don't. The Real Presence of Christ is a dogma of the Catholic Church: The Body and Blood of Jesus Christ are truly, really and substantially present in the Eucharist. If we are to be faithful Catholics, there is no way getting pass this truth. It is incontrovertibly true.
As true as this is, many do not believe in the Real Presence. Therefore they do not kneel for Commumion, they to not accept the truth of Christ is on the ground and being trampled on. When the truth is pointed out, they will not accept the truth. They will believe what they want to believe. A self-blief over divine truth.
Today we see the (modernist) church force the faithful to stand and receiving Communion in the hand. As many do not believe, they will see someone who believes and thinks they are mad.
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A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, 'You are mad; you are not like us.
- St. Antony the Great
RENEWAL WITHOUT TRUE GOODWILL
Many acknowledge there is a problem in the belief in the Real Presence and try to find solutions for this. Why can we not accept that bad liturgy leads to bad practice? Why are we not angry that Christ is being trampled on? Where is our courage to accept the truth and see the solution is to return to the Traditional Latin Mass?
Without true goodwill, no renewal will be successful.
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"Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are, and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are." - St. Augustine
"Do not be deceived: Bad company ruins good morals."
- 1 Corinthians 15:33
FIRST PRINCIPLE
What good are all our good works if we must first trample on Christ? Can we not stop and return to the Traditional Latin Mass and then do good works?
We must first start with Christ, not our good works. This is the first principle: "It is the Lord!"
Let us be truly men of goodwill for God and be blameless in our good works for God.
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Strength of character is certainly needed to face life in the world and to stand by right principles, especially in the age in which we live.
- St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
