BEADS OF JOY 06-15-18
“Pluck It Out”
©2018 James Dacey, Jr. OFS
My Friends,
Today’s Gospel:
Matthew 5:27-32
(Teachings About Adultery/ Divorce)
“You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. "It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Reflection:
Forceful scripture indeed, but Jesus makes His point. If we are to choose life, not death; then we have to remove all this is bad from our lives. These bad, tainted actions, words, habits in our life, become a stumbling block that in the end, stagnate our spiritual growth. If Jesus were in our lives right now, this very moment by your side, would He be pleased by what He has found and sees?
We are all sinners, God knows this. But do we intentionally knowingly live sinful lives? Are we part of groups or clubs whose central focus is some addiction that is sinful? Do we have habits that are purely sinful? Are we so numb by our own sin, that we have accepted it as normal, and don’t even consider it sin anymore, and now we look at it the way the world wants us to; “We’re not hurting anybody?” …of cause we are, we are hurting ourselves. Keeping our Spirit and our Life “Clean & Pure” is part of our experience of being a good Catholic; always being prepared to stand before Jesus, always preparing for Heaven. That is why we have the sacrament of Penance. So that we can constantly cleanse ourselves spiritually.
Do you own a car or even better, do you wear clothes? What do you do when they get dirty, do you wash them? Why? Oh, that’s right, it’s so they are clean again and they don’t stink and wreak of filth. Exactly. It’s the same with our Spiritual lives. By repenting we “Clean/Cleanse” our Soul so that it doesn’t stink and wreak of SIN before our Lord. Pluck It out! Today let us consider the treasure we have in sacrament of Penance (aka Confession) and do all we can to at least embrace it once a month. I think that is reasonable. Most people wash their clothes weekly; I think washing and cleansing our soul monthly is fair. I gain nothing by making this suggestion. It’s all for you to be better prepared for our Lord and Heaven.
See what the saints have to say about this:
“Three conditions are necessary for Penance: contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a purpose of amendment; confession of sins without any omission; and satisfaction by means of good works.” ~St. Thomas Aquinas
“Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin, all hope consists in confession; in confession there is a chance for mercy.” ~St. Isidore of Seville
“You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell. "It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.' But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
Reflection:
Forceful scripture indeed, but Jesus makes His point. If we are to choose life, not death; then we have to remove all this is bad from our lives. These bad, tainted actions, words, habits in our life, become a stumbling block that in the end, stagnate our spiritual growth. If Jesus were in our lives right now, this very moment by your side, would He be pleased by what He has found and sees?
We are all sinners, God knows this. But do we intentionally knowingly live sinful lives? Are we part of groups or clubs whose central focus is some addiction that is sinful? Do we have habits that are purely sinful? Are we so numb by our own sin, that we have accepted it as normal, and don’t even consider it sin anymore, and now we look at it the way the world wants us to; “We’re not hurting anybody?” …of cause we are, we are hurting ourselves. Keeping our Spirit and our Life “Clean & Pure” is part of our experience of being a good Catholic; always being prepared to stand before Jesus, always preparing for Heaven. That is why we have the sacrament of Penance. So that we can constantly cleanse ourselves spiritually.
Do you own a car or even better, do you wear clothes? What do you do when they get dirty, do you wash them? Why? Oh, that’s right, it’s so they are clean again and they don’t stink and wreak of filth. Exactly. It’s the same with our Spiritual lives. By repenting we “Clean/Cleanse” our Soul so that it doesn’t stink and wreak of SIN before our Lord. Pluck It out! Today let us consider the treasure we have in sacrament of Penance (aka Confession) and do all we can to at least embrace it once a month. I think that is reasonable. Most people wash their clothes weekly; I think washing and cleansing our soul monthly is fair. I gain nothing by making this suggestion. It’s all for you to be better prepared for our Lord and Heaven.
See what the saints have to say about this:
“Three conditions are necessary for Penance: contrition, which is sorrow for sin, together with a purpose of amendment; confession of sins without any omission; and satisfaction by means of good works.” ~St. Thomas Aquinas
“Confession heals, confession justifies, confession grants pardon of sin, all hope consists in confession; in confession there is a chance for mercy.” ~St. Isidore of Seville
How do I go to Confession?
Pondering these thoughts today: What is the solution? We must find a way to live a holy life. God knows
we stumble and fall, over and over again; I know this first hand, but we must
constantly get up, and start over again. It is through the gift and power of
the Holy Spirit that our Lord has written His laws and His love for us, upon
our hearts. One of the first things we should do is make a serious confession.
Take the time to really look over your life, your habits, your choices and do
all you can to make yourself right with God.
LOVE YOU GUYS !!!!
Your brother in Christ Jesus
And His Most Blessed Mother,
Jim (The Rosary Man) Dacey Jr OFS
Today is Friday: We pray the Sorrowful Mysteries:
The Sorrowful Mysteries
1. Agony on the Garden (Sorrow for sin) –Matt 26:36-46
2. Scourging at the Pillar (Purity) –Mark 15:1-16
3. Crowning with Thorns (Moral Courage) –Matt 27:27-31
4. Carrying of the Cross (Patience) –Mark 15:20-22
5. The Crucifixion (Perseverance) –Luke 23:33-46
Thank you Lord for loving us so much…
Rosary Man Jim’s Sorrowful Reflection: http://beads-of-joy-blog.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-sorrowful-mysteries_11.html
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