O Lord, may we heed your Word alive in our souls and protect your presence within us. Let us humbly hear the correction we need so as to live with you forever. Amen
Reflection
We know when we do wrong. The spirit convicts us. We may have all the excuses in the world for having done it. There may be some very good reasons in and among all the rationalizations -- but we have a sense of what is right and what is wrong -- it is a sense that is stronger than our individual nurturing. An example of this is Herod (Matthew 14:1-12). He knew his evil, even though he was raised with the idea that as ruler he could do as he chose. (I can't help but think of all those who think "the right to choose" is morally acceptable as "Herods" in a way.)
The Holy Spirit convicts us -- not just to make us feel bad, but to bring us back home. God is a father who loves us intensely. When we sin, we have chosen to leave His house and go outside to the mud and wallow. The Father continues to call us back. Sure, He could come and bring us back, but He wants us back of our own accord, because as anyone knows of a willful child, the only way to keep them is to let them come back on their own. (Luke 15: 11-32) We can choose to stay outside of His house, but we will know that we are apart. We'll feel it in our hearts, in our minds, in the actions of the day. Each day will be like swimming through molasses as we seek to avoid His love.
So why do it? Acknowledge the wrong, return to the Father Who loves you. The Church offers many formal ways to do this, and each has a special place, but start right now, speaking from the Heart. "I am sorry to have caused You so much grief, Father." You'll be amazed at how much better your own life becomes when you start with this, return to confession, and align your life with what God wants from you. And you don’t have to do alone. Ask our Blessed Mother for her help. Or pick a Saint—any Saint; I’m sure they would be glad to help!
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