“Do Not Let Satan Win”
©2013 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
My Friends,
Today our Lord knows how so many of us suffer under the weight of our sins. So many of us are easily lured into believing, “sin all you want and go to confession” that my sisters and brothers is called –Arrogant Presumption. What is this thing called Arrogant Presumption you ask? I think scripture will help you best understand that, see when we boast and plan our future; a future we are completely unaware of, it is indeed an evil arrogant scheme. For God alone knows the future -and our free will and with the help of the Holy Spirit we will get there. Read this scripture to gain a much better perspective and understanding:
James 4:13-16 (Boasting About Tomorrow)
“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.”
Once you have fully let go of everything in this life - it gets much easier to understand the Holy Spirit within you. Not that we can or will understand all things; but by clearing our life of all the debris in the way, we begin to have a much clearer more untainted understanding of so many things. Risking eternity is something the evil one wants us do. The more we risk, the closer we get to losing and then he (the evil one) will consume us. Don’t be arrogant, don’t plan so far ahead that you no longer focus on the things God has placed before you today. Here is another scripture, more real to the way so many think today:
Luke 12:15-21 (The Rich Fool)
“And he said to them, "Take heed, and beware of all covetousness; for a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, `What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, `I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, `Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
It is simply amazingly how so many people live like this …day in and day out – sin to sin as if all is fine and dandy. Greed deceives many, just like lust does. Both are despicable before God, both cast us out of God’s sight for all eternity at our death, both hurt others, both in many ways uses others (lust – for self-gratification / greed – for without sharing with others, there is more for me.), both are simply different forms of selfishness. That’s all they are –a selfish act of self-pleasure. While one satisfies the lust of the body, the other satisfies the lust of the heart and mind thinking how incredibly wonderful and smart I am. Both destroy you from within.
I am not saying another is evil with love and passion, or success, if that’s what you are understanding, then indeed you are not understanding this reflection. Just as there are two sides to everything (good and evil) there are two sides to success and two sides to love. I admit staying focused fully on Jesus 24/7/365 isn’t always a simple thing to do, especially in the world we live. But I will say this: It is completely possible and when you really want to; it’s even more possible and much easier to accomplish.
I challenge you: Draw a line in the sand today...
-Stop your lustful thoughts and think only thoughts of love that are pleasing before God. Consider Jesus standing with you when you are thinking these thoughts of what you might do then, or what you are thinking about doing with Him beside you.
-Stop hoarding and being such a miser, consider those around you struggling to live, family members in peril, barely existing day to day. Don’t build bigger barns, open more accounts; instead step out in faith and invest in your family or friend who is suffering, then your treasures in Heaven will far exceed a zillion fold what you have here on earth.
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
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