For
meditative Monday, I have chosen a passage from 1 John which gives praise to
all people who have chosen God. It also gives a gentle reminder that to be
attached to the things of this world is to be attached to wind. They all blow
away in the end, and we are left with a) a virtuous life to present to God or
b) a sinful life to present to God when we die. It doesn’t get much easier to
understand. A priest at my parish pointed out the other day that people want to
say to God, “But it doesn’t matter that I am living in sin. I am a good person,
so I should be ok when I die.” God responds, “Your definition of good, or mine?”
1
John 2:12-17
I am writing to you, little children,
because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people,
because you are strong
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
because your sins are forgiven on account of his name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I am writing to you, young people,
because you have conquered the evil one.
I write to you, children,
because you know the Father.
I write to you, fathers,
because you know him who is from the beginning.
I write to you, young people,
because you are strong
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one.
Do
not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in
those who love the world; for all that is in the world—the desire of the
flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father
but from the world. And the world and its desire are
passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever
The passions of the soul are pride, avarice,
ambition, strife, envy; the vices that cling to the body are the desire for
eating, prodigality of wantonness and licentiousness. Temperance greatly
restrains the ardor of these passions. It first tempers the spirit with
sobriety and moderation, and informs the mind; then it also reins in the bodily
fierceness through abstinence from pleasures. Temperance is therefore a teacher
who shows the way of corrective discipline, reining in desires. St. Ambrose.
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