I somewhat remember that time, that cold and lonely day that I turned and walked out of the room. To be honest, I was scared. I knew what it was like to be alone and I didn’t like it one bit. For some time I had been “surrounded” by people that “accepted” me, but the thing is the “me” that was being accepted wasn’t the person I desired. I was living an empty life full of all the world had to offer. I knew that if I didn’t walk out the door I would be dragged down again. One by one my friends left. The would say hi if I saw them, no one came knocking. Eventually everyone was gone. It was me and God, and I wondered if I had the strength to walk out and begin this journey. Luckily God knows me better than I know myself and soon he started to replace my old acquaintances.
The thing is there is true right and wrong in this world. Our culture tries to dictate otherwise. We live in a culture where no one wants to be wrong and all wish to be accepted. Whats funny is we are all so close to acceptance but we look for it in the wrong places. God accepts all. He loves you. He knows your weaknesses and your strengths. He knows of your abilities that even you are unaware of. He is willing to listen at any hour of any day. If you need help, God is willing to lend it. It might not be the help that you want but it will be the help that you need. The Holy Spirit is waiting in the wings to help give you the strength to preserve through anything, but you have to choose. No one can do this for you.
I am not a violent man and I work hard to follow Jesus and his teachings. It is frustrating when I see my brothers and sisters give away their souls to empty desires of the flesh. Money, fame, adoration and pleasure rule their lives in whole or at times. As frustrated as I get though I have to admit, I would help anyone of them at any moment.
We as a culture are rotting. Mind you I am speaking generally and not specifically to any one or group of persons, but we are rotting. While with one hand we rise high the ideals of worldly notion and on the other we smother out what is righteous. There are a few that try their diligent best to let God’s light shine but far too many are seduced by instant gratification in things that bring pleasure. I beg you turn and look in the mirror. You are a beautiful person. God made you in his own image. God wants you to shine bright for he made you wonderful. Jesus wants you to love and be loved and have peace and serenity. All this though takes discipline.
It is time that we stop taking the easy way out. It’s time that we get back to basics. It’s time to develop discipline. No great athlete ever became great by doing the bare minimum. He/She pushed harder and harder everyday. They pushed through the pain farther and farther each day because they knew that the delayed gratification would be better if they waited and pushed harder. Our flesh pulls at us every day, “Eat this, drink that, do this and enjoy the pleasure”, but the problem is we are rotting inside. This life is temporary. One day, guaranteed you will die. Your soul will need a new home. If you spend your life serving your body and it’s you will fall. If you train hard and become disciplined, if you love and have compassion for everyone you meet, if you love everyone as you love yourself and most importantly invite God into your life your soul will soar. God wants to be your life coach. You get to choose. Invite him in. Take Jesus as your personal savior, invite him in. Become baptized in the Holy Spirit, invite him in. Come to Church and learn, grow and become strong. Surround yourself with a community of souls that will enrich, encourage and love you along the way. You get to choose. If you let God in he will help you soar.
In this life, with God, you will find a peace, love and serenity like no other. You will learn so much and feel so loved. I was a skeptic too in the beginning. It wasn't easy. Like the first time getting on the treadmill or lifting those weights, getting my soul into shape was hard. The thing that made it easy though, was God. He loves me. He encouraged me. He didn’t bare down on me about all the stupid things I had done in my past. He washed all that away. God gave me a clean slate. Jesus emboldened me and showed me what love can do. Love energizes me both when I receive it from him and when I give it away to others, so I invite you to join us. Join us the faithful. You don't have to be perfect, neither are we. We are all still in training with God. If enough of us band together and spread God’s love on this world, maybe, just maybe with God’s grace and help we can create a little heaven here on earth. What’s the alternative? I’ve been down that road and seen where it goes. No thank you, it’s paved with anguish, despair and empty pleasure and broken promises. Jesus has so much more to offer. I choose him.
1 Maccabees 2:15-29
15Then the king's officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the city of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. 16Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. 17Then the king's officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: "You are a leader, honored and great in this city, and supported by sons and brothers. 18Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the men of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honored with silver and gold and many gifts." 19But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: "Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to do his commandments, departing each one from the religion of his fathers, 20yet I and my sons and my brothers will live by the covenant of our fathers. 21Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. 22We will not obey the king's words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left." 23When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice upon the altar in Modein, according to the king's command. 24When Mattathias saw it, be burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him upon the altar. 25At the same time he killed the king's officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. 26Thus he burned with zeal for the law, as Phinehas did against Zimri the son of Salu. 27Then Mattathias cried out in the city with a loud voice, saying: "Let every one who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!" 28And he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the city. 29Then many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to dwell there,
Psalms 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15
1The Mighty One, God the LORD, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. 2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 5"Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!" 6The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! [Selah] 14Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High; 15and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
Luke 19:41-44
41And when he drew near and saw the city he wept over it, 42saying, "Would that even today you knew the things that make for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. 43For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast up a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, 44and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation."
No comments:
Post a Comment