Mission Control: A Path to Catholic Maturity

By Thomas Lindsey

The world is changing. You have to juggle too many tasks. You have no time to think, to organize. And now more than ever, every decision seems to carry the weight of the world with it. What can you do?

Mission Control introduces a simple approach to setting objectives and priorities in your life aligned with your faith. Seven areas of focus called Dimensional Objectives are defined. You’ll go through a fun process to identify key areas for decisions and change in your life.

Don’t wait. Times will only get more challenging in the days ahead. Are you ready for deflation and a possible Greater depression? Are you communicating and growing as a family? Are you still growing in and living your faith? Can you really make a difference in the world?

This book could change your life. You’re sure to learn something about yourself and about your talents, desires and goals. The result will be a document that will keep you on track as you focus on critical goals that require the investment of your time and resources so you and your family are ready for the future and heading toward heaven.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thomas Lindsey
• Release date: Jun 8, 2010
• ISBN: 9781452329123

Thomas Lindsey

Thomas Lindsey was born Glenview, IL. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Information Engineering and a Master of Business Administration. Tom is the proud father of six children and a grandson, so far.

Book preview

Preface

There are three things that are even more certain than taxes: our death, our judgment, then heaven or hell.  And no matter how the world fights against this belief or tries to make light of it – hell is real.  Yet we know as Catholics that our free will always allows us choices that can determine our future… our eternal future. Not a very popular topic these days – but essential to understand and believe if we are truly Catholic.  We all know in our hearts that we are not merely pilgrims passing through this life on our journey to the next.  We are precious pilgrims. Pilgrims entrusted with a great mission: to live our faith, to save souls and to become the ‘salt of the earth.’

As of late, so many of us with the best of intentions have heard all the bad news we can possibly handle – the worst being the attacks against the Church and the Faith.  Scandals within the Church and rumors of corruption within our own government have become a continual outrage.  But before we start pointing fingers, here's a simple question: have we ourselves prayed diligently and consistently everyday for God's grace to guide and protect our priests and leaders?  If not, then the fault also is ours to own.  Catholic activism always begins with prayer, a Faith-aligned life, and a commitment to actions to promote the Truth for the salvation of souls.  As Catholics, we all know that even now, were enough of us to give ourselves to this cause, the tides would begin to turn. It’s an old dogma. It’s called the communion of saints.

I’ve always taught my kids that there is the Truth, and then there’s everything else.  The Truth is immutable, unchanging.  We might not like it, but it remains the Truth, regardless.  And there are consequences to living in denial of or rebellion against it.  They ask me, What’s the Truth?  My answer is, Jesus Christ.  By understanding Jesus, we understand the Truth.  The teachings of Jesus are, of course, ensconced in the dogma, tradition and magisterial pronouncements of the Catholic Church.  These are the gateways to our Faith.  Our mission begins here at these gateways. But how can we incorporate them into our lives?

First, we must begin to employ some basic methods of Personal Strategic Planning. And as you will see, this is merely a means of actualizing a life of Faith into action. It is also a means of living a truly abundant life. By assessing our current situation and the real state of our soul, our talents and skills, our passions and our means, we can grow in Catholic maturity: directing us through the spiritual challenges we’ll need to face in order to fulfill the real God-given desires in our lives, and in the lives of those around us. This is what abundant means. "I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose" (Rom 8:28).

So the first question is What do I believe?  Then we must ask, Am I living life in conformity to that Faith? Here are some examples of what this really means as a Catholic:

As a Catholic, do I pray?  How often?

Do I go to Confession, attend Mass and receive Communion? 

Do I spend any time in Eucharistic Adoration?

Do I pray the Rosary together with my family?

Are my children attending religious education?

Have they received the sacraments?

Do I actually spend time teaching them the lives of the Saints, Popes and the finer points of our Faith? 

Do I reflect this Faith to others in my life? How?

Do I tithe?

Am I active in my parish or diocese? 

Now all of these ideals will seem daunting to the many of us who struggle to survive. Yet I’ve found a simpler way to set priorities and I’ve taught my kids how to do so.  I repeat this again and again to them, and to myself, "There is the Truth, and then there’s everything else.  It’s a litmus test to make sure we stay on track.  It’s simply 1) God, 2) Family and then 3) everything else.  When my son asks if he can go to a soccer game on Sunday, I ask about Mass.  The answer is, No soccer unless you go to Mass Saturday evening."  It’s so routine that now, he knows my expectation and he has the answer before he comes to me for permission.  Taking it further, if we were planning to go to the kid’s grandparents that same afternoon, soccer would be out.  Soccer falls under ‘everything else’.  We’ll go to Mass and then to visit the family.  I’ve eliminated a lot of discussion by making it easy to prioritize.

You'll see as you continue reading that there is a specific focus on Spirituality as a Dimensional Objective.  This ensures that you are always growing in Spiritual character and virtue, climbing that mountain that leads to Salvation.  In addition, you will see goals that are spiritual in nature in all the Dimensional Objectives. Our lives should be focused on living in unity with the Church and