Comments on: Always reforming, again.

By: The consequences of sin remain. | - Dark Brightness

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 19:59:56 +0000

[…] We can forget the cost of our salvation, and that leads to this. […]

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By: Butterfly Flower

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 14:50:00 +0000

Well, I was referring to how oftentimes Christians use “I’m forgiven by God” as an excuse to be a jerk or to justify blatantly sinful behavior. I realize nobody’s perfect and I don’t expect Christians to be – but it feels like they aren’t even interested in becoming a better person. Not to mention, it downplays the consequences of sin.

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By: The offense of worship. | - Dark Brightness

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 19:51:45 +0000

[…] leads us back to the law, and to self examination, for we can all to often move to perversity, to enjoying our sins overmuch, or contemplating new […]

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By: chrisgale

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 19:23:00 +0000

Cranberry, thanks. I’m not sure of priests can be firmer on some issues than ministers — they have their wives and children in church & that may limit them.

We all fail every day. BF is correct in that too many of us are far too sanctimonious. Now to try to make sense of foday’s reading…

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By: Cranberry

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:27:00 +0000

The second reading this past Sunday was from the letter to the Hebrews 12:1-17

“12Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with all men, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

Being forgiven is not enough. We have an obligation to work with God, and within His commandments, for our salvation.

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By: Butterfly Flower

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 15:18:00 +0000

“There is no room for those who rationalize their behavior, or for casual Christians. There is no room for our accomplishments, our wealth, or our pride.”

But oftentimes, instead of owning up to their behavior, Christians give that whole “we’re not perfect, just forgiven” spiel.

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By: Cranberry

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 10:54:00 +0000

oh, I meant not every Sunday for the Deacons, but on the last Sunday of every month.

And, I just learned this a few weeks ago during my daily Bible study, but the word “scandal” comes from the Greek skandalon which means “stumbling block.” My world is words, and I never knew that.

Truly, getting wrapped up in scandal is a stumbling block to our growth in faith.

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By: Cranberry

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 10:48:00 +0000

Chris, I think this might be my first time posting here, but I read your blog every day. You’re a day ahead of me so the lectionary posts take some time for me to digest as I’m usually still mulling over yesterday’s (my today).

On Sundays in my parish, Deacons preach. I like hearing our Deacons’ sermons as they touch on aspects of living, working, and having a family from an intimate perspective that the priests do not have. This past Sunday, our Deacon talked about how Jesus said the door to heaven is narrow. I started taking notes, right there in church! because I found it moving, and important. He said Jesus is the way to God, and there is no door #1, #2, or #3. There is no room for those who rationalize their behavior, or for casual Christians. There is no room for our accomplishments, our wealth, or our pride.

Just as Elspeth does, I confess my sins great and small when I pray my evening Rosary. It helps to calm me, and to work on those personality traits that get the better of me: stubbornness, impatience, and a failure to be a good planner, among other things.

There is a time for us to judge our brothers and sisters, when we see them falling into sin, but if we are going to judge we are not to condemn, but must offer help, and remember that we will be judged as well, and have to accept the help being offered to us, whether it come to us directly from God or from Him through one of his children on Earth. I pray the Prayer of St. Francis daily: God, make me an instrument of your peace…It reminds me that I am but a vessel, and I want to be filled with faith, hope, and charity so that others may drink of those virtues, but I cannot be full of them unless I empty myself of sin first.

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