The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022819.cfm)
reminds me not to be overconfident and abuse God’s goodness and love.
They
say that anything excessive is bad – even being excessively good. If we don’t
know our limits, there is a risk that people will abuse the goodness you have,
thus is does not become helpful to everyone. However, God’s goodness is
infinite. Yes, it does not run out, but we are reminded not to abuse it.
Say not: “I have sinned, yet
what has befallen me?”
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: “Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive.”
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: “Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive.”
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
We
say that we should take advantage of the sacraments. That we should maximize
the sacraments. We should confess and be at peace with God. However, this
should not be an excuse to commit sin. Yes, he forgives us everytime we
confess, but God also sees our hearts. He sees if the repentance is genuine or
if we know that we can sin anytime because we can confess anyway. Maximizing
and taking advantage of the sacraments is not the same as abusing it.
In
the bible, it is said that Jesus only promised heaven to one person – the
repentant thief who was crucified beside him. Probably he was a lucky man –
having had the chance to repent just moments before he dies, and being promised
heaven by Jesus himself. Sometimes we joke about this – how lucky he was to
live life the way he wanted to, and just repented before he died. Also, some
even go further by joking that we can live our lives the way we want to, just
make sure to repent before you die. Well, they say that the greatest
lie of the devil is to make us think there is still time. No need
to convert yet, there is still time to repent before we die or when we get old.
We can hurt other people, there is still time to make amends later on. We can
sin, there is still time to confess. No need to pray or hear mass, there’s
still tomorrow or next Sunday. Jesus strongly warns us about this. Do not delay
your conversion.
God
is a great God – unending in love, mercy and compassion. However, he is also a
just God – not leaving the guilty, guiltless.
Do I make the most out of the sacraments? When I confess,
is it genuine? Am I truly sorry for my sins and do I aim to not sin and hurt
God anymore? Or do I have future plans of sinning, knowing God will forgive me
anyway? What is he telling me?
May
we remember not to abuse God’s love and goodness towards us.
Father God,
Thank you for today. thank you for giving me another day
to live for you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the many times I
abuse you. Sorry for not being truly sorry for my sins. Sorry for not repenting
and living right. Lord, I pray that I always be reminded not to abuse your
love. May I never too complacent of your love for me, of your goodness and
compassion over me. Help me make the most of the sacraments, but not to abuse
it. Disturb me Lord when I am being too complacent and too comfortable with my
life, so that I may not veer away from you. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
February 28 2019
Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 344
Lectionary: 344
Reading
1 SIR 5:1-8
Rely
not on your wealth;
say not: "I have the power."
Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart.
Say not: "Who can prevail against me?"
or, "Who will subdue me for my deeds?"
for God will surely exact the punishment.
Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?"
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: "Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive."
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
put it not off from day to day.
For suddenly his wrath flames forth;
at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
Rely not upon deceitful wrath,
for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
say not: "I have the power."
Rely not on your strength
in following the desires of your heart.
Say not: "Who can prevail against me?"
or, "Who will subdue me for my deeds?"
for God will surely exact the punishment.
Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?"
for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident,
adding sin upon sin.
Say not: "Great is his mercy;
my many sins he will forgive."
For mercy and anger alike are with him;
upon the wicked alights his wrath.
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
put it not off from day to day.
For suddenly his wrath flames forth;
at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed.
Rely not upon deceitful wrath,
for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
R.
(40:5a) Blessed are they who hope in
the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Alleluia SEE 1 THES 2:13
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MK
9:41-50
Jesus
said to his disciples:
"Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
"Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."
"Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink
because you belong to Christ,
amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,
it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck
and he were thrown into the sea.
If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed
than with two hands to go into Gehenna,
into the unquenchable fire.
And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off.
It is better for you to enter into life crippled
than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna.
And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out.
Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye
than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna,
where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.
"Everyone will be salted with fire.
Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid,
with what will you restore its flavor?
Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another."
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