Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 2015 A.D.
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| Adorolata |
A dear friend used to say while he was in seminary:
"Don't sin, and do what you will."
This is bad theology. If we do what WE will for ourselves, our imperfections will turn to sins, inevitably, if even first by small sins as concessions, and little by little into larger sins. However, it's even more dangerous than being just plain "cold" of the faith, but it espouses lukewarmness as the idea.
It's not. Our Lord made that clear: "But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth. " Revelation 3:15
It doesn't matter if one gives his entire time, energy, and goods over to God. God wants our hearts, and not just in a sentimental way. He wants our WILL. We are here to do GOD'S WILL, not our own. Even Jesus Christ said that he "came to do the will of (his) Father," to humiliate his own --- in a good way, out of TRUE CHARITY --- which IS love of God, and secondly, love of neighbor out of that FIRST love: love of God.
We need to remind ourselves and be reminded by others that because we are imperfect, we each also have an imperfect knowledge of God. Therefore, we must not presume that we rely on our own understanding by doing the bare minimum, and simply obeying the Commandments. We must have our actions out of love, that we conform our wills to God's, and then we can begin the path of spiritual progress. The very last stage of the spiritual life (after the Purgative stages and Illuminative), is the Unitive stage, which is ultimately has in it's final part union with God's will. This is what the saints in Heaven have, but one cannot enter Heaven without such union, if achieved in this life first, or later by purification in fire. However, there are many in Hell who suffer eternal fire because they were lukewarm in this life, and died, as most of us will die, in an unplanned hour.
LET US BE GRATEFUL FOR THE SACRAMENTS THAT LEAD US TO CONFORMITY and eventually to unity, if we truly love Christ and seek to obey God and HIS HOLY WILL in ALL THINGS.
In loving memory of JARED CHEEK and MATTY MOLNAR.
REQUIEM aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
Requiescant in pace. Amen.
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| Angel in Chapelle Royale Dreux, France Jean Marie Bienaimé Bonnassieux (1839-1848) |
