“Blessed be the Lord, my Rock” Psalm 144:1

As a college student, there are so many obstacles to the life of holiness that God wishes each of us to live each day. Many things of the things done by my classmates are things that are not complimentary to the beliefs of the Catholic Church. Choosing to go to a party instead of attending weekly Mass, choosing whether or not to respect other people or choosing to lie in an academic setting are all decisions made by college students that are often ones peer pressure thrusts upon everyone. Other people my age assume because I am a college student that I will experiment with different things and give in to the pressure from those around me. It is up to me to stand up and do what is right despite all of the temptations to stray from God.

The first readings from Ephesians and the Psalm stress the idea that in these times of decision making, God is there. He is the rock that stands firm and will help to guide me in the right path to avoid evil. I need to trust that God will be there and even when facing the most difficult decisions, allow me to “have the courage to speak as I must.” Making the right decision is what God hopes I will do, however he is always there to assist me in those times of need.

Throughout the Bible and the teachings from the Church, we as Catholics are informed of the actions that God wants us to take in difficult situations. It is through these means that we are taught the necessary lessons to be able to make good decisions throughout our lives and especially throughout these years which have the most temptations to stray from the ways of God. This applies to everyone however, not only college students. At every age and every point in life there are obstacles one must overcome and decisions one must make in order to follow along the path God wants. During all of these times God is there to help us make the right decision and we can use our faith as our shield to avoid temptation!