One Track Minds

I recall once, in those years when I thought I was the smartest person on earth (otherwise known as "teenager"), an adult (whom I respect much more now than I did then) asked me a question: "Is everything always about sex for kids your age?" What I remember most about that moment was how I was stunned by the question. Stunned, because I thought it was ridiculous. I did not believe that I always thought about sex. It was, however, sort of like asking the fish about the water (it is too close to see it). When your mind is completely absorbed with something, you often cannot see that you are absorbed. Being absorbed or obsessed blinds us.

A quick perusal of modern culture shows that much of what people are fighting about boils down to an obsession with sex (abortion, transgenderism, homosexual marriage, etc.). Yet, clearly, this is not clear to those who are obsessed with these things. The majority of people cannot see "the forest through the trees"; they are too absorbed with sexual issues to see that they are absorbed. It takes a healthy break with the routine in order to see it clearly.

If statistics are accurate (and they appear to be, at least this once), then about 50% of Catholics today are frequently engaged in some kind of sexual sin. This means that half of those in the pews are possibly blinded to the consequences of this sin, and are likely confused in other areas of their lives as well. As I said above, when we are blinded by sexual sin we are blinded to how it impacts other decisions we make in life. No matter where you are in life, no matter what sins you fall into, it is wise to do some self examination (the "Litany of Repentance" I recently handed out would be helpful to use!) and consider the possibility that you may not be as "neutral" in your thinking as you believe you are.