Tag Archives: moral

The Problem of Evil

by

These verses from Chapter 51 of Imitation of Christ speak to my prayer vs world experiences and fluctuations:

“My Son, thou art not always able to continue in very fervent desire after virtues, nor to stand fast in the loftier region of contemplation; but thou must of necessity sometimes descend to lower things because of thine original corruption, and bear about the burden of corruptible life, though unwillingly and with weariness. So long as thou wear a mortal body, thou shalt feel weariness and heaviness of heart. Therefore thou ought to groan often in the flesh because of the burden of the flesh, inasmuch as thou canst not give thyself to spiritual studies and divine contemplation unceasingly.”

“At such a time it is expedient for thee to flee to humble and external works, and to renew thyself with good actions; to wait for My coming and heavenly visitation with sure confidence; to bear thy exile and drought of mind with patience, until thou be visited by Me again, and be freed from all anxieties. For I will cause thee to forget thy labors, and altogether to enjoy eternal peace. I will spread open before thee the pleasant pastures of the Scriptures, that with enlarged heart thou may begin to run in the way of My commandments. And thou shalt say, ‘The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.‘”

In a World of Soundbites

by

In a world of soundbites and video-clips with the mainstream media supplying morsels of immoral madness and pathetic pop-psychology for quick, thoughtless, consumption,  is it any wonder that so many are lost?  I ask how culpable am I?  Do “the many” even know when they’re off track or even lost?  I don’t know about you, but I have little clue where even those close to me have wandered.   As far as I can tell,  they are all  well meaning.  Is “well meaning” enough to inherit eternity?   It’s the old thing of , if  you aren’t growing, you are dying.   Misled means spiritually unfed.  Anyway, that’s the way it seems to me.  My hope is, “He knows how we are formed;  He remembers that we are dust.’ Psalm 103:14.

From the Gospel for the day:

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, His heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd;and He began to teach them many things.  Mark 6:34

Is it any wonder that we, along with our children,  move the heart of God to pity?  Hope, though, is all around us.  The Church is at prayer.  When I go off to Mass each day,  I can look forward to hearing soundbites of true substance, sanity and solace.