Reflections
In our household, during Holy Thursdays and Good Fridays, we practice abstinence in commemoration of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. That means no computer games, no entertainment TV, and none of the other luxuries we commonly enjoy in every other day.
The only TV programs we could watch, aside from news, are the ones from EWTN, or the Eternal Word Television Network. Essentially, it's a Christian TV Network showing sermons and features on Christ and other saints 24 hours a day.
Although it may get boring at times (I don't know why... I guess we've been conditioned to enjoy other things...), the sermons can be very attention-grabbing. It's unlike the homilies from our local parishes. The priests there give speech-like sermons, the ones you'd really pay attention and listen to.
The sermons were able to cast thoughts on my mind, and it made me reflect on several things:
- "Pride is the source of all evil." It comes from the thought "I deserve better than this". Once such a thought comes into play, we may decide to stray from God's plan. Remember Adam and Eve? They disobeyed God because they thought that they deserved to be godlike. The opposite of this is humility, which leads to acceptance, and eventually peace.
- Evil thrives by distorting the term "freedom". We are made to believe by most people that freedom is "to do whatever we want". Where is freedom in abortion? In theft? In deception and war? It is called license, legalization, permission... but not freedom. Freedom is "to do what is good".
- Do not ask from God, but do what God asks. It is so easy to complain about life, so easy that we forget what we should be doing: to be stewards of God's creation. To protect and continue creation - two things that cannot be done if all we do is whine and beg and ask.
- Love even those who are difficult to love. Even for me, this is difficult. How do you love a corrupt politician? A robber? A killer? Your enemy? Perhaps we have to swallow our pride on this one.
That's about it. It's difficult to be good, but being good leads to inner peace.
Hope we pick up stuff from these...
In our household, during Holy Thursdays and Good Fridays, we practice abstinence in commemoration of the passion and death of Jesus Christ. That means no computer games, no entertainment TV, and none of the other luxuries we commonly enjoy in every other day.
The only TV programs we could watch, aside from news, are the ones from EWTN, or the Eternal Word Television Network. Essentially, it's a Christian TV Network showing sermons and features on Christ and other saints 24 hours a day.
Although it may get boring at times (I don't know why... I guess we've been conditioned to enjoy other things...), the sermons can be very attention-grabbing. It's unlike the homilies from our local parishes. The priests there give speech-like sermons, the ones you'd really pay attention and listen to.
The sermons were able to cast thoughts on my mind, and it made me reflect on several things:
- "Pride is the source of all evil." It comes from the thought "I deserve better than this". Once such a thought comes into play, we may decide to stray from God's plan. Remember Adam and Eve? They disobeyed God because they thought that they deserved to be godlike. The opposite of this is humility, which leads to acceptance, and eventually peace.
- Evil thrives by distorting the term "freedom". We are made to believe by most people that freedom is "to do whatever we want". Where is freedom in abortion? In theft? In deception and war? It is called license, legalization, permission... but not freedom. Freedom is "to do what is good".
- Do not ask from God, but do what God asks. It is so easy to complain about life, so easy that we forget what we should be doing: to be stewards of God's creation. To protect and continue creation - two things that cannot be done if all we do is whine and beg and ask.
- Love even those who are difficult to love. Even for me, this is difficult. How do you love a corrupt politician? A robber? A killer? Your enemy? Perhaps we have to swallow our pride on this one.
That's about it. It's difficult to be good, but being good leads to inner peace.
Hope we pick up stuff from these...
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