Today I am going to share with you some thoughts in area that I am an expert – SIN. It will not be an exhaustive analysis, because that would take several days
In the area of SIN, we each have expertise. That expertise is not something we should be proud of, rather we should be honest enough with ourselves to admit it.
In our 1st Reading from Deuteronomy – Moses teaches the Israelites and us to observe the statutes & decrees and to observe them carefully.
Our 2nd Reading is from the Letter of James offers us the building block for our worldview – “All good giving and every perfect gift is from above ….” FROM GOD. James reminds us to HEAR God’s Word and to LIVE God’s Word. He urges us to allow God’s WORD to guide our actions, our life.
And, in today’s Gospel Jesus confronts hypocrisy; He challenges the Pharisees and the scribes about being hearers of God’s WORD but not doers of God’s WORD. Jesus points out to them that they “cling” to human tradition and “disregard” God’s commandment.
When we sit down to dinner how many times do, we or did we ask our children, “Did you wash your hands with soap and water? Fortunately, when my children were growing up, they were unaware of this Gospel passage or they would have said, the Apostles didn’t wash their hands, why do we? We know that is not what Jesus is saying, He is saying what makes us unclean is not the dirt on our hands, but the dirt in our hearts.
Pope Francis recently reminded us not to be hypocrites, not to fear the truth, not to pretend. “Who we are, what we do, the kind of persons we are begin within the heart – the place where God dwells ….” [Connections, 8/29/2021]
God’s dwelling place in our lives increases or decreases by our actions, how we live our lives. "An old Cherokee once told his grandson about a fight that was going on inside of him. He said it was between two wolves. One was evil: Anger, envy, greed, arrogance, self-pity, gossip, resentment, and false pride.
The other was good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, generosity, truth, compassion and faith. The grandson thought about it for a moment & then asked his grandfather, 'Which wolf do you think will win?' The old Cherokee replied, 'The one I feed.'" [Sermons.com, Philip W. McLarty, - The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares]
The Catechism teaches us that “Sin is ‘a word, an act, or a desire contrary to eternal Law’ … an offense against God in disobedience to his love.”[Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #392, p.114]
God transforms the world one person at a time, and He wants us to start now. The Kingdom of God belongs to the childlike, the people who put God first in their life, who allow God’s Will to become their wills. Maybe this true story can help us, “A boy’s letter to Jesus ….” It is dated December 17, 1939 (southern France)
Little Pierre wrote: “Dear little Jesus, to prepare me for my first communion, I ask you not to bring me toys this year; I want to make this sacrifice to thank you and ask you to take care of Daddy, and to end the war soon so that he will no longer be forced to go far away where fighting is going on.” [Aleteia, 8/11/2021]
As we wash our hands with soap and water may it remind us that we need to confess our sins so we can have the soap and water of God’s Grace and Mercy clean our souls and help us do God’s Will more faithfully.
For a few minutes, in silence, reflect on where God is in your life: At the center?
Somewhere else?
St. Joseph, pray for us.
St. Andre Bessette, intercede for us.
St. Francis de Sales, pray for us.
“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.” [St. Brendan the Navigator]
May God Be Praised.
Join me and pray, God, our refuge and hope, we turn to You during this COVID 19 Pandemic and plead for Your help. In Your mercy and compassion, You carry the dead home and give us grace to comfort each other.
As the Pandemic persists, in its Delta variant form and we try to return to “normal” life, may that “normal” be filled with prayer and thanksgiving for You and for the many blessings You give us. May we follow Your Light as we continue our earthly journey and prepare for the gift of eternal life. Amen. [Dcn. George Kelly]
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