>> As a reminder, please join us in our [daily Rosary Novena](https://2020nationalnovena.com/optin1598968688164). >> *[Church Militant](https://www.churchmilitantaction.org/) (a 501(c)4 corporation) is responsible for the content of this commentary.* If you also seek the truth, then please consider joining Church Militant today by supporting our work. Sign up for a [Church Militant Premium account](https://www.churchmilitant.com/gopremium) or simply [make a donation](https://www.churchmilitant.com/donate). And now, let's begin with today's Vortex... >> **Matter matters — a lot more than most people realize.** >> There is an extremely important point about the spiritual war raging all about us right now, and it is this: It occurs in the material world. What happens on earth matters, or, as St. Thomas Aquinas puts it, matter matters. >> The problem with so many people in this spiritual war is that they play it out as if it is only spiritual and just say, "Whatever happens, happens. I'll just pray." Catholics of such mind retreat into piety, fooling themselves that faith without corresponding works is a perfectly fine, holy approach. >> Nothing could be less Catholic. That rationale is for cowards. But over in the Protestant world, a similar mentality occurs: It's called "quietism," and it's the notion that the material world doesn’t really matter — all you have to do is just pray and remain quiet. >> In fact, this entire thought process actually began and flows out of a flawed understanding of Scripture and theology, going back centuries in Protestantism. Catholic sacramental theology embraces both matter and spirit; it does not reject one in favor of the other. Primary Video source and transcript continues here: https://www.churchmilitant.com/video/episode/vortex-the-material-world