Whales: In the World but Not of It

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about whales. Majestic creatures gliding silently through the depths of the ocean—yet the very world they live in can take their breath away. Literally.

Whales live in water, but they don’t breathe it. They need air—clean, life-giving air. And if they stay submerged too long, they drown in the very world that surrounds them.

It’s a striking image for us as Catholics.

We, too, are in this world—but we are not of it. (cf. John 17:14–16) We live among earthly things, but we’re made to breathe something higher—grace, truth, and the breath of the Holy Spirit. When we try to stay too long in the depths of worldly thinking, materialism, or sin, we slowly suffocate. Our soul was never made to live fully submerged in what this world offers.

Whales return to the surface often—to breathe, to live. So must we. We must rise up in prayer, in the sacraments, in Scripture, in community. That’s where we draw the air of heaven into our lungs again.

This world, beautiful as it is, cannot fully sustain us. And that’s not a flaw—it’s a reminder of our true home.

So today, be like the whale: swim in the world, but keep coming up for air. The breath of God is waiting for you.

Just Breathe.

God Bless,

Amanda Leigh , CAO

The Modern Apostle LLC