My Monsignor has seen me in the Cage

I get crazy training in the cage. One of the four gyms I attend has about 12 bags in an octagon with mats. I get real wild in there. Elbows for 30min. Thai kicks for 20 minutes straight. Ground and pound. 3hrs solid of bag work at times.

At first, when I saw the Monsignor around the gym I was kind of mellow and just did traditional boxing type exercises, but he goes there so much I had to just let loose. I really don't give a fuck in many ways in life and this was just one of those things. I don't have a position to lose in the church or anything, so the way I worship is my own fucking way. You know?

I feel like people's perception of Christianity growing up is some square kneeling all day singing boring songs and doing real lame stuff.

That's a bunch of bullshit. One of my favorite Trappists said "to be a saint is to be myself." I think he broke his vow of stability, left and then got electrocuted in the shower in Thailand or something and his cause for canonization is up in the air, but I really like Merton. I've read some of his books and he reminds me of a modern day St. Augustine in many ways.

We make mistakes. We learn from them. We aren't perfect. To cover up those aspects of our lives in which we have failed or not done the right thing according to our beliefs is to hinder others from seeing the progression of your journey, which is highly important. In "Confessions" by St. Augustine, we learn his roots and upbringing to become the man he was when he became worthy of being a Doctor of the Church.

I've made many mistakes and I will continue to do so. My path isn't perfect, but I am trying.

So some Sundays when I see this Monsignor after church (like today), he gives me a big grin and always shakes my hand, excited to see me. Sometimes I cringe in a certain way to hear some other person who calls them self a Christian or Priest light into me about something like that. Not sure if it makes them feel better about them self, who knows. But to be yourself is to follow the truth. And to follow the truth is the way.

This is what life is about. You see it in nature. Expression; true reactions to things driven by instinct and learning. We need to follow this path if we are to live. We must look deep within ourselves and ask what are we called to do. Then follow that with all of our heart. To do anything else is not to live.

"There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance."
- Socrates