The danger of worldliness is real and especially for the Church. We see recently where writers even for the Vatican's newspaper (expressing their own opinions, not necessarily those of the Pope) have sought to reconcile with worldly figures such as Darwin, "Harry Potter," and even Oscar Wilde. It is time to raise a flag of warning: we must love all and not shut ourselves off in some sort of cultural isolation but also must be careful not to let the world wash into our views.

It was viewing through the eyes of worldliness that led to abuses in interpreting Vatican II. The eyes of the world are afflicted with blindness. Let us express concern that worldliness has caused a distance between shepherds and flock in many circumstances.

What is worldliness? It is defining matters (and even spiritual ones) in the movement of the societies of men instead of by way of Scripture (which separates us from the "world").

It is to rely upon intellect more than our deeper spiritual instincts.

It is to focus on the creations of men instead of the Lord.

Thus, if there are antagonisms in your life that hurt you, and seem unexplained -- if you are struggling with why someone is now cool to you -- see if that rejection has paralleled your advancement toward Jesus (and care not a bit if that is the cause).

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you," said Our Savior (John 15:19). "Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you (1 John 3:13). "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you (John 15:19).

The "world" knows its own and the "world" is a material orientation. It is money. It is physical attractiveness. The "world" is philosophy. It is celebrities. It is making icons out of humans. The "world" is believing that the most important matters in life are defined in daily headlines (whether the media is liberal or conservative).

The "world" is caring what others think. The "world" is the movies and stock market. The "world" is academia. The world is evaluating a person on his or her wealth. The "world" is more respect for the banker, the councilman, the doctor than the cleric.

Worldliness dominates fields like medicine (where the body is too often viewed as the whole of existence).

Many are those who try to compromise. They feel they can be both worldly and spiritual -- that they can have the best of "both worlds." They fool themselves and can cause disaster in their lives. With Christ, lukewarm doesn't count. Is the "world" now winning?

"Prior to the new era inaugurated in 1789, it was possible for the State to regard many things as matters for God and the Church alone," noted viewer John Kutyn of Christchurch in New Zealand. "Political messianism recognizes no such limitations. Rousseau placed emphasis on the principle of social unity, clearly realizing that a person could not be a citizen of this new era and Christian at the same time due to a clash of loyalties."

Worldliness is caring what the world thinks of you. It is blindness. When we free ourselves from that, we are free indeed -- and open the door to the miraculous.

"Thirteen years ago I was given the grace of a miraculous conversion that still astounds me even now," notes another viewer,   Mary Nicewarner of New Hampshire. "At the time I was leading a very worldly life, I wasn't going to church and I was in a state of mortal sin. I was pretty disgusted at the way I was living my life and I was miserable spiritually.

"One day I sat on the edge of my bed and cried out "Lord, I am fed up with my life!'

"Instantly, I was in the Presence of this great Light and a feeling of tremendous peace and love enveloped me. Rays emanating from the Heart of Jesus pierced my soul and I received an immense healing. I do not know how long I was in His Presence, there was no sense of time. The Lord made me aware that I was in the Presence of His Divine Mercy [not through words.] It was as if scales were falling off my soul and He knew the real me underneath the filth of years of sin. His love and mercy are beyond words. When He returned me to my bedroom I was still sitting on the bed like before, amazed and awestruck by the gift I had just received. Since then there have been many miracles in my life and He continues to flood me with graces.

"People ask, 'Why you? What did you ever do to deserve this?' The truth is, I did nothing. It was pure grace and has turned my life completely around. I am almost always aware of His Presence and my heart will always be His."

[resources: The God of Miracles]