I love to look at life through the scripture
readings. This week was a great example of how life and the scripture readings
sync. This post is very Catholic and very apologetic.
It’s
1978; a group of friends stand on the football field at the beginning of their
senior year. We are young, powerful, and full of life. If you are young, you
think you will be young forever; but, if you are older, you have learned that
is not the case.
Thirty-nine
years later, several of us came together for a memorial service for our coach
and mentor. I looked at my friends and
the words of Jeremiah came to mind.
You duped us, O Lord.
We
have grown older, some fatter, and some bald.
The
younger versions of us thought we could live life in our terms, young, powerful,
and full of life.
Jeremiah
wanted to be a prophet in his own terms. He was duped not by God but by his own plan. God touched
Jeremiah’s mouth to prophesy God’s plan not his.
That’s
our problem today. We think God should do what we want. We want to make our plan God’s plan. If we
think we can do this we are dupes and fools.
Look
around, advertisement, media, society tells up what the perfect human being is and it is probably not any of us. It’s not grey hair, potbellies, and broken bodies. But that is where God’s plan
for every one of us will eventually lead if we are blessed with a long life.
Scripture tells us “Do not confirm yourselves to this age but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind to discern the will of God, which is good and pleasing and
perfect.”
And
too many will say, my will is my god’s will.
In a
recent article
a minister said his denomination recites the Apostles’ Creed. He will tell those who ask that it
is not necessary believe the Apostles’ Creed, especially the part about the
Virgin Mary.
Even
those who identify themselves as ministers of God speak with the tone of Jeremiah,
I will not mention him; I will speak in
his name no more.
At
dinner the night of the memorial, I was speaking to someone about coming into
full communion with the Catholic Church by preparing to receive the Blessed
Sacrament.
He asked,
“Do I need to do that?” "Are you telling me that will keep me out of heaven?"
I
cannot say what will keep a person out of heaven.
These
are Jesus words, “Unless
you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my
flesh and drinks my blood shall have eternal life and I shall raise them on the
last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat
my flesh and drink by blood abide in me and I in them.” (Jn 6:53-56)
At
one time, every Christian believed these words. But over the years, because of this teaching many turned back and
no longer followed him. (Jn 66)
People say, God forbid, no such thing shall
ever happen.
But Jesus rebukes those who try to change God’s plan. “Get
behind me Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does but
as humans do. Whoever wishes to come after me must deny self, take up his cross,
and follow me.”
Even
Jesus did not change God’s plan. For
Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality
with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself taking the form of a
servant, born in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point
of death on the cross. (Phil 2: 6-8)
That
is why I say, I was duped Lord, not by God but by my own selfishness and human weakness. We
make ourselves fools because we think we gain the whole world. And everyone else tends to listen and believe
the dupes and become dupes themselves.
If I
make a god in my image, then my thoughts are that god’s thoughts; my desires
are that god’s desires.
In this
foolish state we think we can stay young (without sin) but life catches up with
us.
One
day, we will look back and realize we have been duped. It will be too late for many because Jesus warned
that the Son of Man will come and repay all according
to his conduct.
Listen
to what Jesus says not what the world wants Him to say.
May the eyes of our hearts be enlightened to
know the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, according to his
will. (Eph 1:19)
Yall
be good, yall be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love. Amen
❤❤❤
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