"Thy" instead of "My"

You can safely assume that anything that goes against your will, pleases God. If you are like most of us, everything that you want to do, is directly opposite to what God would have you do, and therefore offends God to some degree. When we think about our day and how many times we do what we feel like doing, it is not too hard to see how much and how often we offend God. This is due to concupiscence and the inclination of the body to desire that which is opposed to the spirit. Things to which we are duty-bound or "have to do" are those things that are hard to do and if we were completely selfish or completely wealthy, we would not do them. These unpleasant things that we have to do are the things that please God.

 

Too bad for this generation, this "me" generation. This generation that sacrifices very little, and detests anything that gets in the way of satiating their wants. This generation that needs 2 incomes so they place their children, infant children, in day-"care". So they can buy more and nicer and the latest things. This generation that must be entertained constantly, or else they are bored. This generation that asserts themselves and their rights, and fights voraciously for their defense. That can't admit that they are wrong-minded or be submissive. They must be quick to tongue-lash when they are reproached. This generation that must be beautiful, and live forever. This generation that needs to satisfy their desires of the flesh, even to the extent of innocent death. This generation that needs ease and fun and pleasure and comfort and wealth and beauty and strength and power and dominance and more, and more, and more. Look around you. Look in the mirror. Say it isn't so. Our society in the last century has produced so much "I" and "me" attitude that Acts of Faith and Service to God has dwindled to next to nothing.

 

Perhaps it would be clearer to think of it this way. Does Satan want you to do anything that displeases you? Does he ever tempt you to suffer? Does he tempt you to do something difficult? Does he want you to be less selfish? Does he ever tempt someone to sacrifice? How foolish our time is, to think itself so wise. Our will is more inclined to want those things that Satan would have us do anyhow. How is it that we do not recognize that when we do our will we please Satan, not God?

 

More modern wisdom is that when you do everything that you want to do and when you have everything you need, you will become truly happy. And if you sacrifice and suffer and do without, your life will be miserable. How completely in error and opposite to the Truth can a philosophy be and still be universally accepted?

 

Now it is true that many that suffer are miserable and some who have wealth appear happy. The less time you spend on thoughts of God and heaven, the more this is true. For the ways of God can change our perspective to the complete opposite of what the world values. What is miserable without God is wonderful with God. What gives us pleasure without God causes revulsion when we are with God. The bottom line is that those who turn away from the values of the world and turn toward the values of God are always happier, without exception. And that goes for this life as well as the next.

 

God gives us guilt as a Grace. Those without guilt are without God. There is nothing calling them back from their sin. This happens when they give themselves over to the sin either by persistence or rationale. They feel uncomfortable sinning through guilt and while enjoying the sin they are resisting the Grace of God. So once they have sinned for awhile or deceived themselves into thinking that they were not sinning, the guilt is removed and the discomfort of sinning fades and at some point goes away. By this complete refusal to cooperate with the Grace of God, they are separating themselves from God; from the sanctity that allows them to be in Heaven. The more that they separate themselves and the more time that they remain separated, the harder it is for them to mend the separation and the less time, if any, to accomplish it.

 

We cannot claim that because everyone is OK with it, it is OK to do. If the sin becomes a social norm, it does not mean that it is no longer a sin. What offended God yesterday, offends Him today. The world has more sinners than saints. Do we really want to be considered to be part of this lot that is the majority? How often do we justify what we do by the actions or approvals of those we associate with, rather than what the Church tells us. We all have the moral aptitude or instinct to recognize right from wrong if we honestly consider the situation. Ignorance of sin does not excuse sin, although it may mitigate the punishment. Inculpable ignorance is one thing but if we had the grace of understanding offered and we ignored or rejected it, we are culpably ignorant, through pride and obstinacy. A stubborn refusal to reflect on what we do or to not contemplate and heed the moral advise or reproach of those who have spiritual authority over us, will bode very harshly against us.

 

Make a solid effort to amend your life. Dwell on the pursuit of Heaven rather than earth. Understand all that you can of the ways the Church teaches us to please God, and bless each day as an opportunity to do more. Pray for the proper disposition of attitude, that of submission, obedience and humility. Replace "my will' with "Thy Will". Rather than miserable boredom you will find true peace and comfort in your life and in your soul.

 

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