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A BLESSING or A CURSE |
n old priest sold his mule to a man and told him that the critter was trained to go when the rider said, “Praise the Lord,” and to stop when the rider said, “Amen.” The prospective purchaser mounted the mule and said, “Praise the Lord,” and the mule raced away. Becoming excited, the rider kept saying “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa” with no effect on the animal. Then he remembered and said “Amen,” and the mule stopped abruptly. The rider looked down and found the mule had stopped right at the edge of a very high cliff. Wiping his brow he said gratefully, “Praise the Lord!” (“Arthur Tonne Vol. 4 #383). Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” I am sure everyone sitting in this church wants to go to heaven. If God calls you home today, are you sure you will get a place in heaven? To go to heaven is the purpose of our life. All of us want to go to heaven when we die. But to go to heaven is not a free ride. Yes, Jesus has died for us. Yes, He has risen. Yes, He has opened the gate of heaven for us. But there is a way to get there, and we must follow that way. That way is to do the will of God. It is important that we profess our faith. But it is more important that we express that faith in our daily life too. Blessing or Curse Moses laid it out for his people, “Take these words of mine in your heart and soul . . . I set before you here, this day, a blessing and a curse: A blessing for obeying the commandments of the Lord . . . A curse if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord, your God.” Moses gives his people a choice to obey or not to obey. Not to obey is a curse. Disobedience to God’s commandments brings suffering, separation from God. The result of this curse is eternal damnation. Obedience to God’s Commandments is a blessing. It brings us closer to God. It shows that we are in communion with God. The result is to inherit eternal life in the Kingdom of God. A Wise person or a Fool Do you want to be a wise person or a fool? Jesus is speaking about a wise person and a fool. A wise person is someone who listens to Jesus’ words and acts on them. A fool is someone who listens to the words of God but does not act on them. None of us wants to be a fool. In fact, if someone calls you a “fool” you would be very angry. Every one of us wants to be a wise person. A wise person must know God’s words and God’s will and act on them. The question is how do we know God’s will in order to act accordingly? To Do God’s Will Sometimes it is easy for us to recognize God’s will; other times it is difficult for us to recognize God’s will. To do God’s will first of all is to keep His Commandments. This is easier to recognize; because God’s will is spelled out in the Ten Commandments and in the teachings of Christ. God says “There is only One God. You shall love the Lord, Your God, with all your heart, your mind and your strength.” So if you love someone else or something else more than God; it will be a curse on you. God says “keep holy the Day of the Lord.” If you are faithfully coming to church to worship God with the community, and doing good or holy things on Sunday; it is a blessing on you. God says, “Honor your father and mother.” If you do that, it will be a blessing on you; but if you disobey father and mother; if you talk back to them; if you lie to them; then it will be a curse. God says, “You shall not kill.” So if you kill somebody, young or old, big or small; it will be a curse on you. Sometime it is difficult to know God’s will for us. The ministry of spiritual direction gives us some guidelines to discern God’s will. If our choice of action lead us closer to God, and help us to love God and others more, and if it is good to our souls, then we can be sure it is God’s will. If our choice of action lead us further away from God and others and harmful to our souls; then it is not God’s will. A young lady wrote: Dear Abby: I’m a 16-year old high school girl. I’m friendly, cheerful, religious and an honors student. I am also addicted to pornography. Over the past few years I have been an on-again, off-again addict. I’ll look, feel good, feel bad, swear never to do it again, stay clean for a few months and then start again. I’m scared. I’m a virgin and I’m starting to feel apathetic toward my grades, I’m thinking more about sex, I have lost respect for most of the opposite sex, and I’m one step from acting out. I’m also not sure I want to quit looking. It makes me feel good and keeps me from being stressed, but my religion and the changes in my behavior tell me it’s wrong. I mentioned it to my school counselor once. She said I’m just “expressing my sexuality in my own way.” Is she right? Or do I need help?” (Addicted and Shamed in Iowa). Definitely she needs help. Her behavior is not bringing her closer to God and others. It brings her shame and she is living in secret. Spiritually she is separating herself from God. Psychologically she is isolating herself from others due to her secret behavior. And of course the behavior is harmful to her soul; therefore it is not God’s will. It is a curse, not a blessing on her soul. St. Ignatius offers another principle to help us discern when we are facing a serious decision and are confused or do not know whether it is God’s will or not. For example, if you found out that your spouse has been unfaithful to you. You are hurt, disappointed, and angry; and you want a divorce. St. Ignatius suggested that you should not rush in making your decision, but take time to pray and ask yourself, “If you have only a few weeks or a few months to live; do you still want a divorce? Are you ready to go before God with your decision to divorce your spouse without any regret?” If you are sure and feel at peace with God in your soul, then probably it is God’s will. If you would rather stick to the marriage till death do you part; so you can go before God and tell Him that you have kept your promise; then divorce is not God’s will. We always need to place the salvation of our soul in front of all our decisions, actions or behaviors. If we want blessing from God and be a wise person, it is important for us to find out God’s will for us in our daily life and act upon it accordingly. Because, “Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Rev. John Kha Tran |