Seeds of Sin

Do you know that often a root has split a rock
when allowed to remain in it?
Give no place to the seed of evil, seeing that it
break up your faith.
~Saint Cyril of Jerusalem~

This is a wonderful analogy. Read it again. I have considered my soul a garden. Yes, and have even compared the Sacrament of Reconciliation as the pruning hook. At the same time I have only considered the visible results of my weeds and flowers. I haven't considered the roots. In order for the garden to flourish it needs to be tended in other ways that by pruning. It needs to be cultivated and fed. I overlook that at times and like today I am reminded again. There is a lot of work to do in the garden if it is to flower in grace to avoid a "break up in [my] faith."

~~^j^~~
Thanks be to God!

Food For Thought

I woke up this morning just as I always do, saying the Hail Mary. My thoughts wandered to why it is that I always awake this way. Have I done this so many years just as a matter of course or is it because my morning can't begin until I call upon our Lady to pray for me? I would like to believe that It's because I want her to pray for me.

My thoughts then wandered to other gifts I am offered by God and I began to focus on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Every night I go to bed saying the Act of Contrition. I ask God for forgiveness for sins I had committed that day and I go to bed hoping the next day will be better and the sins I committed would not be experienced again. Then I began an examination, not of my conscience, but of my personality and how I use or do not use the sacraments.

You see I take forgiveness of my sins for granted. Yes, I TAKE IT FOR GRANTED! Jesus Christ died on the cross so that I might be redeemed. I'm asked to "Love the Lord my God with all [my] heart, with all [my] soul and with all [my] mind. And I am to love [my] neighbor as [myself] (Matthew 23:36, 39).

It is simple. It is not a book with 200 laws and regulation. No, and the words are simple. They are not complex. It is not so complicated that I have to say, "I don't understand." If I follow his simple instructions all will follow all the rules and regulations ever written. If the laws are morally right and focus on the law of love I will not sin.

Now I am wondering why it is I make it so difficult to follow these two simple laws...

1. I'm selfish.
2. I'm jealous.
3. I'm greedy.
4. I'm religiously lazy.
5. I'm impatient with others.

That's only the beginning. I think if I start working on these five flaws, perhaps I will become a better follower of Christ. I should not take the Sacrament of Reconciliation for granted. When I accept its graces, I should do it with gratitude to a God that loves me, not necessarily for who I am, but for whom I can become.

~~~^j^~~~
Thanks be to God~

Reflection

The sky is overcast here today. Not a gloomy sky, just overcast. It causes me to reflect on why it is that gray skies cause lethargy and an overall feeling of I-don't-want-to-do-anything.

Sunny skies always cause me to feel cheery and invigorated. I want to move about and get things done. I have a positive attitude and am uplifted by the glory of the day.

As I thought about this I realized this is the state of my soul in sin. When in sin my soul is overcast and gloomy. It's an I-don't-want-to-do-anything soul. I am not a productive Christian in this state. I can't be a witness to others as I can't take care of me.

Enter the Sacrament of Reconciliation. By simply opening my soul to the grace of God by ridding it of the sin that causes this Christian lethargy, we open our soul to the warmth and sunshine of God's priceless gift of grace.

It's so easy to rid ourselves of that unholy lethargy. All we need to do is avail ourselves of this most important sacrament.

You know, just knowing I am privileged to have this gift offered allow the sun in the window of the soul.

~~~^j^~~
Thanks be to God!!!

Been There Done That...

[David ordered a census of Israel.]
But after David had taken the census,
his conscience began to hurt, and he said
to the Lord,"I have committed a terrible sin
in doing this! Please forgive me."
1Samuel 24:10

~~~~~~~

A favorite saying of Carlos Romulo, the great Philippine leader, was Bahala na ("Put your trust in God'). In today's Bible reading, David shows a lack of "Bahala na." The reason he took the census was to see how many men were available for military service. In the religious Hebrew, such a census reflected an insufficient trust in God. It showed a reliance on human resources for protection, rather than on God.

Mission 2000
Cycle B

***

I learned a long time ago that not trusting in God is far more painful than placing my trust in Him. Impatience is one of my flaws. When I want something I want it yesterday, especially if it's something important. You know like, money to cover a bill that was acquired when I GREEDILY wanted (not needed) something. Then when the time comes to pay up it REALLY HURTS.

"Please, God, help me NOW!"

And as any good parent would do, teaches the lesson by waiting.

On the other hand I can pray diligently for an answer to a prayer for years if need be or if I think it will take that long.

Example:

Wes, was diagnosed with Type I diabetes mellitis when he was 9 years old. I began praying for healing...Yes, healing. For YEARS I prayed for this!!!! I kept praying and TALKING about this to God day in and day our for years! Not listening, just talking. Finally, in a dream, I had a visitor with a voice so tender and soft, I had to listen.

"If I heal him, he will die"

It was as simple as that. Indeed Wes would die. No one would know he'd been healed. He'd still take his insulin and then with an overdose, he would die.

"Oh, ye of little faith!"

An so every time I get impatient (and I still do) or want an answer RIGHT NOW to those URGENT prayers, I stop and try to listen. He will tell me. And though I still am impatient in prayer at times, (Okay, A LOT of the time.) I am reminded that perseverance and listening is still the BEST way to pray!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

It Doesn't Just Go Away

But if you do not do this, you have sinned against
the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.
~Numbers 32:23
~*~

The signs had been there for a few weeks but I ignored them. Or had chosen to believe that things would take care of themselves and just go away.

But one evening my son when into our utility room and alerted me, with a panicked shout, that thing hadn't gone away. He was confronting a sharp toothed, curious possum, the one responsible fro tipping over our trash. I'd hoped it would just get bored with us, but instead, it had decided to come even closer.

Sin can be like that. I really hope it will go away, or that it might not affect me. But if I persist in ignoring it, I might be surprised one day to find how it's made itself at home.

~*~
Jesus, mold me as your disciple, in great ways and in small.

Amy Welborn
A Catholic Woman's Book of Days

~*~~*~~*~

Amy Welborn offered another great reflection today. One I can identify with so completely because I can remember when we were confronted by the same obstacle. Not once but a number of times when we lived in Oklahoma and then in the Bicknell house. The critters just would NOT go away!

It's possible that today is the day an analogy like this is meant to enlighten and broaden my view of sin. As a people we have allowed ourselves to believe that My life is my own business. What I do with my life has nothing to do with anyone else. I have the right to pursue it in any way I see fit.

But everything I do and how I do it does affect the lives of others. In many ways it is "their business." Humanity derives its personality, growth, worth and value in the community to which it belongs. Whether that community be family, friends, work, or church makes no difference. I am not untouched by those around me and therefore they are not untouched by me.

I owe it to everyone to be the best I can be. If I sin, no matter how slightly, I have touched another. AND if I think that no one will know the affect, I had better think again, for the One-Who-Really-Counts already knows!! It's time I accepted this reality and try so much more diligently to be what He wants me to be, His special child who minds her Father! Because you know how parents are. They ALWAYS find out!

~~~~~

(Ron sweeping before Marianne's wedding)

There won't always be someone to sweep up after you.

One day you'll have to take responsibility
for your own mistakes (sins)!

~William Thomas McGlone~
Dad

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!!!!!!