"The Glory of God is man fully alive." —St. Irenaeus
By the time I was nearing high school graduation in the 1970s, my friend Jimmy Patridge, a young Marine, had already returned from Vietnam—missing both of his legs. The sexual revolution of the 1960s was in full swing, abortion had been legalized, and the Church seemed as confused as I was. At the same time, I became aware of two opposing forces: a dark presence in the world, and the voice of my conscience. Rebelling against what I could not understand, I left home, diploma in hand, searching for truth and a way to live my life with purpose.
Today's young people face a culture in even greater crisis than the one I encountered. It is an era that has largely forgotten God—one in which 90 percent of young people embrace moral relativism, denying the existence of objective truth. This rejection of absolute truth has led to a culture of death, where human life is devalued and moral confusion reigns.
Having accepted the destruction of life in the womb, society now embraces a dangerous gender ideology—one that sterilizes and mutilates its most innocent members: children. By rejecting God's plan for human flourishing, especially in the realm of sexuality, we are witnessing a revolution not only against children but against marriage and the family itself.
This widespread insanity and moral collapse seemed to be reaching its climax when, against all odds, something remarkable began to stir.
Instead of succumbing to despair, young men across the country have started to awaken to the Sacred—and they are finding God residing in their hearts. They are discovering that there have always been two fundamental worldviews: The city of man, in which man makes himself god; or the city of God, where man acknowledges God and goes out to seek the truth, asking, "How shall I live?"
In their rediscovery of the Sacred, they are also discovering that a nation is not merely a political entity; it has a soul, shaped by the collective hearts of its people. A society can either build a culture of life, love, and truth, or one of death, division, and deception.
Bishop Fulton Sheen foresaw this crisis as early as 1974: "First of all, we are at the end of Christendom. Not Christianity, not the Church, but Christendom—that is, economic, political, and social life as inspired by Christian principles. That is ending—we've seen it die. Look at the symptoms: the breakup of the family, divorce, immorality, general dishonesty."
That was nearly 50 years ago. Today, the situation is far worse. Corruption has infiltrated nearly every institution—including the Church. Many people sense that something is terribly wrong, yet, like the proverbial frog in boiling water, they have grown apathetic. Their consciences, dulled by moral relativism, make them easy prey for those who manipulate emotions with calls for "niceness," "kindness," and "compassion"—regardless of what is true, good, or beautiful. They have forgotten that true love is not mere kindness; it is the will to seek the good of another.
What has become increasingly clear is that the battle is intensifying. But this is not a battle of Left versus Right, or race against race. The real struggle is between Christ and Satan. It is a spiritual battle, and the forces led by Satan seek nothing less than the destruction of humanity.
What is the solution to this rising tide of evil? St. John answers clearly: "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).
Pope John Paul II's final message, read on Divine Mercy Sunday 2005: "As a gift to humanity, which sometimes seems bewildered and overwhelmed by the power of evil, selfishness and fear, the Risen Lord offers his love that pardons, reconciles and reopens hearts to love. It is a love that converts hearts and gives peace. How much the world needs to understand and accept Divine Mercy! Lord, who reveal the Father's love by your death and Resurrection, we believe in you and confidently repeat to you today: Jesus, I trust in you, have mercy upon us and upon the whole world."
Human history is not merely the product of political movements or economic forces. It is, at its core, a spiritual confrontation between two powers: the force of attraction emanating from the wounded Heart of the Crucified and Risen Christ, and the power of Satan, who refuses to relinquish his dominion. The battlefield is the human heart, where each individual must choose which force to embrace.
The culture we create reflects this internal battle. Every society must choose between the culture of truth and life or the culture of lies and death. "And He who sat upon the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' … 'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water without price from the fountain of the water of life. He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son'" (Revelation 21:5-7).
Listen carefully, and you will still hear the voice of John Paul II calling out, "Be not afraid."