Holiness - Free From Sin

Beads of Joy 04-05-11

Holiness - Free From Sin
©2011 James Dacey, Jr. SFO

Hello Everyone,

God wants us to be free, and He wants to heal us, this is why Jesus asked, "Do you want to be healed?" Some people like to be lazy and catered to. Let us be aggressive in following after Jesus, and doing all we can to not be lazy in stopping our sinfulness. Some people are always curious as to "How" can I try to keep sin out of my life? What must I do to make every attempt to stop sinning? It's not all that difficult, I'm saying that stopping sinning is not that difficult; but I am saying a couple of the ideas to lessen it in your life is actually easy. re are some ideas:

Awareness: You know yourself, and what your weaknesses are. You know when you are at most risk with falling into sin. Simple awareness should keep you on your toes at the atmosphere around you.

It's A Choice: We inevitably chose to sin. Not too often are you forced to sin, I know work issues sometimes make it impossible not to. But if that is true, you can address it at work and stop.

Cease & Desist: Just be strong once and for all and stop all the evil you clearly know that is in your life, the evil you so chose to do. It could be talking about others, saying things that aren't true, over-eating way too much, and so much more. We all know our own weaknesses.

Run: Yes you read that correctly, RUN. If you know a certain place, or certain people, or certain situations; literally walk you down the wide path of sin, and you know the end result is always a certain sin, RUN. Run away as fast as you possibly can, and never look back. In scripture Jesus spoke about following Him and what we are to do, "Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62, that scripture fits in this situation perfectly with your flee from sin. No longer even glance back at that sin you detest and wish to get out of your life.

Build Walls: No these aren't real walls. These are protective walls, walls that separate you from the evil you are trying so hard to avoid. A wall can be, "Instead of going to that store or mall alone where you may go to that certain store or buy a magazine; from now on when you go, bring your kids, or a spouse or parent." This wall blocks you from doing or buying something you will regret later.

Today's Gospel: John 5:1-16 (The Healing at The Pool)
"After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Hebrew called Bethesda, which has five porticoes. In these lay a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, paralyzed. One man was there, who had been ill for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him and knew that he had been lying there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is troubled, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your pallet, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his pallet and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who was cured, "It is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your pallet." But he answered them, "The man who healed me said to me, `Take up your pallet, and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, `Take up your pallet, and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you." The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had healed him. And this was why the Jews persecuted Jesus, because he did this on the Sabbath."

Questions To Ponder Today:
-Do you really know what sin is and how it offends God?
-How does the Holy Spirit within you feel when you sin?
-How often do you go to confession? Weekly? Monthly?
-What techniques of choice do you in preventing sin in your life?
(Today, offer to help out a good friend; ideas, yard cleaning
shopping, moving furniture, mowing lawn, whatever.)


Your brother in Christ Jesus & His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr SFO

Today we pray the Sorrowful Mysteries

1. Agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging at the Pillar
3. Crowing with Thorns
4. Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion of Jesus