Tuesday, October 20, 2009

K. I. S. S.--Keep It Simple Stupid

Wednesday, Ocober 21, 2009
The Glorious Mysteries
Romans 6:12-18
Psalm 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8
Luke 12:39-48

I was reminded today when reading the gospel of an old saying that was often used when teaching someone how to do something that seemed difficult, but wasn't, really—“Use the KISS method”. KISS stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid!

Getting to heaven is not meant to be hard. God has not created us for failure expecting that only a few will make the grade. Instead, He made everyone for Himself and the desire of His heart is that none be lost.

We sometimes try to complicate things trying to “interpret” the bible or second-guess the Pope or we become so mechanical in our prayers that they become “babble” and their purpose is lost. Or we worry about when our time will come to meet our Master. Even though death may come like a thief and catch us unprepared in some arenas, it can't catch us unprepared for heaven if we do two simple things: love God and love our neighbor.

St. Therese of Lisieux figured it out a long time ago—keep it simple and use your time well, loving God and loving your neighbor. Not by doing necessarily extraordinary things, but just simple ordinary little things -- with extraordinary love!

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"I demand from you deeds of mercy, which are to arise out of love for Me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it.

I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor:
the first — by deed, the second — by word, the third — by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.

Many souls ... are often worried because they do not have the material means with which to carry out an act of mercy. Yet spiritual mercy, which requires neither permissions nor storehouses, is much more meritorious and is within the grasp of every soul.

If a soul does not exercise mercy somehow or other, it will not obtain My mercy on the day of judgment. Oh, if only souls knew how to gather eternal treasure for themselves, they would not be judged, for they would forestall My judgment with their mercy".