Run the Race

31 Tuesday Jan 2023

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Holiness, Perseverance

Tags

Disordered attachments, Hebrews 12:1-4, Holiness, Liberal, Olney, Perseverance, Run the Race, Shrove Tuesday, Sin

Back in 1990 and 1991 my family and I lived in Liberal, Kansas, a small city in far southwest Kansas. Liberal has a sister city in Olney, England. Residents from both cities have been competing since 1950 in what they call the “International Pancake Day Race”. It is held every year on Shrove Tuesday (also known as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday. Female participants race approximately 400 yards wearing aprons and carrying frying pans while flipping pancakes in the pan. They are timed and the times are shared between the two cities and a winner is declared.

There is also a children’s race of about 20 yards for youngsters to get involved in the festivities. Well, in 1990, my three young daughters, ages 4, 5 and 6, decided they wanted to run the race. To prepare, we practiced sprinting in the small park behind our house. I would mark a starting line where they would line up, and a finish line where I would stand. I would yell, “On your mark, get set, GO!”, and they would sprint the sixty feet, and I would declare a winner. We practiced for weeks.

The day of the race came and the girls lined up at the starting line on the city street where the race was to be run. People were lined up on the sidewalks on both sides of the course ready to cheer on the two or three dozen young competitors. The race official announced, “On your mark, get set….” and then he fired a starting pistol. It scared the bejeebies out of the girls. By the time they got their wits about them most of the other kids were crossing the finish line.

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But, then, as if nothing happened, the girls decided to head for the finish line – not at a sprint pace, but casually, stopping along the way to talk to a policeman and a neighbor. When they finally crossed the finish line I asked the five year old (the fastest of the three) why she didn’t run fast. She replied, “Well, Dad, I wasn’t going to win and I was going to get a medal anyway!”

I remembered this event this morning as I was meditating on today’s first Scripture reading, Hebrews 12:1-4. In it, we are encouraged to persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, and rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us.

In our quest for holiness, to become saints, and reside with Jesus in heaven for eternity, there are many things that will frighten us, distract us, slow us down, and cause us to lose sight of the ultimate goal. When the going gets tough, we will occasionally feel like giving up. But, like Jesus, we need to endure those circumstances, our crosses, for the sake of the joy that lies before us. We have to persevere and not be discouraged because someone else is running faster than us. And, we need to hear and be energized by the cheers from all the saints in heaven who are lining the course before us, urging us on.

The only way we will not receive that medal at life’s finish line is if we fail to persevere in the race for holiness.

“Dear Jesus, when the race gets tough and seems all uphill, let me remember, please, that you are here with me. You, Lord, are both my strength and my goal. You are waiting for me at the finish line. I know I will stumble, I will get distracted, and obstacles will get in my way. Let nothing keep me from pursuing You. Amen.”

(Run the Race was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2023 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Where Sin Increased, Grace Overflowed All The More

27 Thursday Jan 2022

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Grace

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Grace, Luminous Mysteries, Mk 4:21-25, PS 119:105, Rom 5:20, Rosary, Satanic Temple Club, Sin

It was ten degrees this morning when I drove through our sleepy little town of Lebanon, Ohio on my way to Mass. As the sun was beginning to peek over the eastern horizon, I encountered the usual light traffic of folks making their way to work. Ours is a quiet town, an historic town, with good folks.

As with most small towns we have many churches and as Catholics we are well represented. I’d say the majority of the town’s citizens lean towards the conservative side of life and, in elections, generally favor the more conservative candidates and their views. Thus, it was no real surprise that our City Council voted in May of 2021 to become the first city in the state of Ohio to be a sanctuary city for the unborn, a decision that nevertheless ruffled a few feathers.

In Scripture we hear, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more” (Rom 5:20 NAB). I truly believe St. Paul’s conviction, but it seems that it’s never the end of the story. Evil has a way of rearing its ugly head in new and different ways, creating new opportunities for grace and goodness to abound.

A particular opportunity will present itself this afternoon, at 4:00 p.m. EST. The inaugural meeting of The Satanic Temple After-School Satan Club will be held in rented space at Lebanon’s 3rd/4th grade elementary school campus. The flyer that was distributed encouraged children (with parental permission) to join and participate in “Science Projects! Puzzles & Games! Arts and Crafts Projects! Nature Activities!” It went on to tell parents their child would learn about benevolence and empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, creative expression and personal sovereignty.

It all sounds good until you get to that “personal sovereignty” part. To me that’s just another way of saying we don’t need God because we are our own gods. As Christians, we know that the Mother of all Vices is Pride, and there’s no greater expression of pride than to reject God, thinking that we can take His place.

As you can imagine, there has been quite an uproar. Parents have protested to the School Board only to be told that their hands are legally tied, that, since space is currently rented out to The Good News Club (a Christian club for children), they must accept the application from the Satanic Temple Club. I understand, and agree with, the State’s point of view. We are a country founded on respecting one’s religious preferences. It’s what guarantees our own right to practice our faith.

The thing is, this is not a political battle. It’s spiritual warfare, and once again, the forces of Goodness and Grace are being called upon to face off with the forces of evil. We don’t do that by sending disciples with swords to cut off ears at an elementary school. No, we do it with prayer and refusing to give the Devil his due.

Today’s Gospel is from Mark 4:21-25, The Parable of the Lamp. Jesus asks His disciples (and He’s asking you and me), “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?” Also, today, we read from Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.” As Christians, we receive Him to light our path and we are called to light the pathway for others.

There’s an old analogy relating God and evil to the science of physics. Physics defines cold as the absence of heat, and darkness as the absence of light. Our faith tells us that evil exists as the absence of God. Put another way, the darkness of evil exists due to the absence of the light of God. One might ask, “Why doesn’t God just shine the light on the evil ones?” Well, he respects their free will. But, he also expects us to do our part to bring His Light into the world. We ought to ask ourselves if we are doing that or are we being a barrier that blocks out the Light?

Our parish is conducting a prayer service at 4:00 p.m. this afternoon and will consist of praying the Rosary, calling upon our Blessed Mother to intervene, to turn hearts away from the evil that lurks in our midst, and let the Light shine. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that today is Thursday, the day on which we pray the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. No, it’s the Divine Providence that we need.

If you are in Lebanon and would like to come to St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church today to pray at 4:00 p.m. EST, you will be welcomed. You don’t have to be Catholic to pray a Rosary. You can just show up to pray. For those of you who are not local, please consider taking time to pray for us wherever you are at that time. And, please feel free to share this post on FaceBook or forward it to your friends. We need all the prayer warriors we can get. Thank you!

“Lord Jesus, Light of the world, open our hearts to be the light that shines on the path for all those who are searching for peace, beauty and goodness in the world today. Let us not hide Your Light, but be Beacons of Light to others. Amen.”

(Where Sin Increased, Grace Overflowed All The More was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2022 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

How to Make a Thorough Examination of Conscience – Part 2: The CPR Method

01 Wednesday Apr 2020

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Examination of Conscience, Reconciliation

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Examination of Conscience, Reconciliation, Sin, Sins of Commission, Sins of Omission

On Monday I posted Spiritual Atrophy and the Need for an Examination of Conscience During Self-Isolation in which I emphasized the dangers of letting our spiritual lives decline and go flat since we cannot make it to Holy Communion. Unless a special effort is made we will experience a gradual decline that likely will lead to venial or mortal sin. Since the Ten Commandments are all about relationships with God and each other, any sin can damage those relationships. The mechanism we use to recognize our sins is called an Examination of Conscience.

In yesterday’s post, How to Make a Thorough Examination of Conscience – Part 1: The “Checklist” Method, I discussed the two types of sin: mortal and venial, and non-sins which we call imperfections, as well as general principles behind a good examination. And, I provided links to examples of questions, or “checklists”, that, when asked of ourselves and viewed from God’s perspective, will help identify our sins.

Because I was in a rush to finish the post I forgot to mention a couple things. First, the questions asked in this method are normally “Yes” or “No” questions. They are very specific and intended to pinpoint those actions for which you may not be too proud. They will not only expose your sins of “commission” (the things you did but shouldn’t have done), but also your sins of “omission” (the things you should have done but failed to do).

The second point I forgot to mention is that there are “checklists” designed for one’s particular state in life. Besides the general lists of questions for anyone, there are sets for children, young adults, singles and married people. An excellent place to find these is on the Laudate app which you can get for your mobile phone. It is an essential tool for anyone interested in consistently practicing and growing in their faith. A very good list for married people can also be found at Beauty So Ancient: A Wonderful Examination of Conscience for Married Couples.

By utilizing one of these lists of questions on a regular basis, a person can nearly memorize those areas that tend to come to the surface. It’s important to not skim over the small stuff. The small stuff can become big stuff.

Today, I want to introduce a second method called the CPR Method of examining one’s conscience. I discovered this method from the Laudate app. Unlike the “checklist” method, this one doesn’t ask specific “Yes” or “No” questions. Rather, it asks you to look at your day subjectively rather than objectively. (The following is copied directly from Laudate):

C = Claim Your Blessings

Reflect on the good things that happened to you today, and explicitly recognize God’s hand in them. He has been loving you every minute of the day, thinking about you, drawing close to you. Thank Him for the little blessings and the big ones. See His gaze of love directed toward you. Ask Him to help guide these few minutes of prayer.

P = Pinpoint Victories and Losses

Taking a kind of “helicopter” view of the activities of the day, examine how you lived them. Where were you selfish in your decisions, attitudes, words, and actions? Where were you virtuous and generous? Also, examine how you responded to the Holy Spirit’s inspirations throughout the day. As you do this, ask for (and accept!) God’s forgiveness for the times you gave in to selfishness or temptation, and thank Him for the graces He gave you to do good and to be faithful to His will.

R = Renew Your Loving Commitment to Christ

Finish by renewing your faith in God and your desire to know Jesus more clearly, to love Jesus more dearly, and to follow Jesus more nearly every single day. If possible, make a specific resolution (proposal of amendment) regarding something you will have to do tomorrow – something you can do to show Christ your love in a concrete way. End with an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and the sign of the cross, or another favorite prayer.

This method is best practiced after one has spent some time using the previous method and getting used to their various faults. I particularly like this method because to begin requires placing yourself in the presence of God, recognizing His love for you, and returning your love back to Him. And, making a resolution in the third step is a sign to God that you really do want to make the effort to grow in virtue and closer to Him. As I mentioned yesterday, this is really what it’s all about – amending your ways and refraining from near occasions of sin in the future.

Tomorrow I will introduce you to the third method of examining your conscience: The Analytical Method.

God bless you all. Be safe and stay healthy. I pray you use some of your newly found free time growing close to God.

(How to Make a Thorough Examination of Conscience – Part 2: The CPR Method was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

©2013-2020 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

How to Make a Thorough Examination of Conscience – Part 1: The “Checklist” Method

31 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Examination of Conscience, Reconciliation

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Examination of Conscience, Mortal Sin, Precepts of the Church, Reconciliation, Sin, Ten Commandments, Venial Sin, Virtue

In yesterday’s post Spiritual Atrophy and the Need for an Examination of Conscience During Self-Isolation I promised to provide various methods of making a thorough examination of conscience. The first of the three ways I will offer is what I call the “Checklist” method. This, I believe, is the most common form used and the best for anyone who does not regularly make an examination, and for those just beginning.

However, before we look at this method, let’s take a more general look at why we should do an examination of conscience, and what to look for.

An examination’s main purpose is to help us see which actions and/or attitudes we have exhibited that are sinful or less than desirable so that we can make amends. We need to know these so we can stop sinning in a particular way and make changes to get better at obeying God’s Commandments and trying to live lives of virtue.

In making our examination, we particularly want to look at the sin and its gravity, that is, it’s seriousness – is it a mortal sin, a venial sin, or simply an imperfection.

Mortal sins are those sins which deplete our souls of sanctifying grace. Three things are necessary for a sin to be mortal:

It has to be serious (grave);
One has to have knowledge or a firm belief that the act is seriously wrong prior to committing the act;
One must commit the act with full consent of one’s will.

All three of these things must be present for a sin to be considered mortal. Thus, if you did not know the act was of serious nature, or if you did not will it, e.g. you were forced to commit it or it was committed in a dream, then you are not guilty of committing a mortal sin.

All mortal sins committed since one’s last confession must be confessed, both the nature of the sin and how many times it was committed. It’s important to remember that one needs to confess all mortal sins prior to receiving communion as receiving communion while not in a state of grace is itself a mortal sin.

Venial sins are those committed which are not grave in nature or were not committed knowingly such as those committed out of habit. Venial sins are not required to be confessed in the Sacrament of Reconciliation however it is good practice to do so. By bringing these into the light of Christ’s forgiveness, we more easily grow in the virtue of humility. It helps us pay attention to our actions so that we may refrain from sinful habits and, thus, grow in holiness.

Imperfections may include dispositions of one’s soul that are not necessarily sinful but which one would like to amend. It is not necessary to bring these to confession but it is a good idea to be aware of them and the habits from which they originate. These are areas that could become sinful if left unchecked. They could be those little things that weigh on the conscience of someone who is earnestly trying to grow in holiness. Examples of imperfections may include: trying to be controlling instead of seeking God’s will; being content with spiritual mediocrity; failing to defend the Church; failing to spend time in prayer; or taking your spouse or a parent for granted.

As I mentioned above, the most common method of examining one’s conscience is what I dub the “Checklist” method. This entails reading a printed list of questions that are based on the Ten Commandments, the Precepts of the Church, and the Cardinal, Theological, and Capital Virtues; and then reflecting on your actions from God’s perspective, to uncover one’s sinful instances. Below, I am providing links to various websites that offer these checklists, all of which, except for the last one, are printable. Note that they are all a little different. Some may frame a question in such a way that it helps to determine if a sin is mortal or venial. Some may not make the distinction but leave it up to you to decide.

Of course, it doesn’t do much good to do an examination of conscience if you don’t intend to try and amend your ways and refrain from sinning again or avoiding future near occasions of sin. That’s what it’s all about.

Tomorrow I will present a second method of examining one’s conscience: the CPR method.

God bless you all!

Links:

(How to Make a Thorough Examination of Conscience – Part 1: The “Checklist” Method was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)

Do You Love Me?

04 Sunday Jun 2017

Posted by Jerry Robinson in Bible Reflections, Faith, Grace and Mercy

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Commitment, Faith, John 21:15-19, Love, Sin

It’s Sunday morning and I’m still ruminating over Friday’s Gospel (John 21:15-19) and what it said to me. It hit me so profoundly that I wanted to let the message sink in so I will never forget it.

When Jesus appeared to the Eleven the third time after being raised from the dead, He ate a breakfast of bread and fish with them. Right afterwards, He pulled Simon Peter aside and asked, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He didn’t ask only once. No, He asked three times. And, I think, by doing so, Jesus gave Peter the opportunity to redeem himself for having denied Jesus three times before His death. I’m sure that is what was on Peter’s mind as he answered, “Yes, Lord, You know that I love You.”

But, I don’t think Jesus was trying to rub it in. He wasn’t concerned about the depth of Peter’s love for Him, rather, he was looking for commitment from the one He was appointing to lead His church.

Commitment. That’s what He asks of me, too.

It’s taken two days for that to sink in. Jesus asks me in every waking moment, “Jerry, do you love Me?” Especially every time I am on the verge of sinning. I realize now that, at those times when I’m aware of the sin I am committing, my cognizance is actually Jesus asking me, “Do you love Me?” I’m ashamed that, by my actions, I all too often respond otherwise.

Jesus asks of us only two main things to be Holy: to love God, and to love our neighbors. Every sin contradicts one or both of those commandments. Each time an action, a spoken word, or a disrespectful thought, which damages a relationship with another person, damages my relationship with the Lord. That’s not conducive to getting me to heaven.

“Jesus, You know that I love You. I resolve today to make that evident in all that I do. I know I need the help of Your Sanctifying Grace to override my occasional wavering commitment. And, when I fail, as I will, I need Your loving Mercy and Actual Grace to let me try again. Amen.”

(Do You Love Me? was first published on the blog Reflections of a Lay Catholic)
©2013-2017 Reflections of a Lay Catholic. Reposting and sharing of material in its full and original content is permitted, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author(s) and Reflections of a Lay Catholic.

Conquering Temptations

29 Tuesday Apr 2014

Posted by CWhittenburg in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Perseverance, Sin, Temptation

“Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire. Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.”

James 1:12-15

At a recent men’s group, I was asked to pick the bible verse to discuss. Coincidently, at one of the daily masses that week, this passage from James was read. I imagine we all struggle with some kind of temptation in our lives. A few years ago, through prayer (both my wife’s and mine) and God’s grace, I broke free from one that was damaging our marriage. Because of this and our commitment to live an Ephesians 5 relationship, our marriage is stronger today. However, that was only one of my many temptations.

I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. Going up and down in weight (mostly up), trying all the fad diets out there. In 1999-2000, I lost a bunch of weight through Weight Watchers. However, when we moved to Texas, I discovered how much I loved Texas BBQ and Mexican food. The weight quickly returned.

The other primary temptation I had succumbed to was a 30-year love affair with Diet Coke. I averaged 6-8 cans a day most days and bought them by the case full at every sales opportunity. At just six cans a day, that works out to be 91 cases a year. That does not include the bottles I would buy out of the vending machine for my drive home from work every day. That is a lot of pop/soda for one guy.

On October 31, 2013, I turned 48. Not normally one to care about my age, this one bugged me. Probably because 48 is awfully close to 50 (with apologies to my aged friends and family who have passed the 50 mark). Consequently, I decided that I wanted to gain better control of myself. Not just for health reasons, but because I no longer wanted “things” to control me. Food controlled me. Diet Coke controlled me. I was determined that I would gain discipline over my desires. If I could do that, 50 would not seem so bad (again, apologies to you seasoned citizens).

On November 5, 2013 I committed to lose and maintain a 50-pound weight loss by the time I turned 50. I called it my 50×50 plan. Holidays seem like a crazy time to start a weight loss program but I did not want to wait. I got back on Weight Watchers and followed it strictly every day. Nothing I ate went unrecorded. As I write this, I have lost 49.4 pounds and should reach that 50-pound milestone this week or next. I have gone from a 42 waist to a comfortable 38. A 50R suit coat to a 46R coat. I have spent a bunch of money on new suits and clothes but it has been the best money I have ever spent. Weight Watchers says I should lose another 20 pounds and I am going to try to do so. Mostly, though, now that the weather is finally better, I am going to get outside and get some exercise. Physical laziness will be the next temptation I will conquer.

Now, what about that Diet Coke addiction? On the Friday after Thanksgiving, I drank my last Diet Coke. I had a week of headaches and then another week of fatigue as the caffeine got out of my system. I haven’t touched it since and I feel great. I now drink water and Crystal Light exclusively at home and work. I do miss it at times, but controlling the temptation is building up my “discipline muscles.”

“Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has proven he will received the crown of life that he promised to those who love him.” All things are possible with God, even beating food and Diet Coke addictions.

What tempts you each day? What can you do to conquer those temptations?