Today’s Homily really got my gears moving, not to mention rattled my conscience a bit.
If you’ll recall, the First Reading was by the Prophet Ezequiel, 33: 7-9.
I have always enjoyed this particular piece of Scripture, even more as it is stressed to proclaimers of the Word, aka Lectors. We are warned that this particular ministry holds its risk. IF we do not prepare the readings, study them, pray with them, read their historical and biblical context, we may not get the message delivered correctly. Fortunately, we are also reminded that it is the Holy Spirit via us as a mouthpiece that speaks to our brothers and sisters, but still…we must prepare. If we do not, then, well, we will be held responsible as we did not warn our brothers and sisters to turn away from wickedness, thus, their blood is on our hands.
Scary, huh? I do mean the gist of what I wrote not the wretched run-on sentence. 😉
Returning to today’s Homily…Father Peter really brought home the point that many, many times we would rather be nice and kind (read as Silent) than reprimand, chastise, guide, or speak up about how our brothers or sisters are sinning against us or themselves. (From St. Matthew’s Gospel 18: 15-20)
I really have to add here that Father Peter also did bring up the overzealous types. How we are more than happy to remind or reproach others and tell them how they should live their lives. His advice to not fall to this extreme either, take a step back, breathe and ask yourself, What you want to say, How and Why. If the answers are not loving or charitable, perhaps we should pass.
His Homily was way better than the blurb you are reading here now, of that I am more than well aware, but I hope you can walk away with something. Preferably positive.
He told us how as parents and even as just simple members of society, we have taken self-esteem, inclusion, and all those feel-good phrases to the extreme.
We do not want our children to lose. We do not want them to struggle. We do not want them to hurt. We do not want to see them sad. We do not want them to suffer! We don’t! I don’t! I really, really don’t!
If I could take any of my children’s pain and make it my own, I would, in a heartbeat! Be it a fall, a scratch, a disappointment, a heartbreak, or Heaven forbid, something worse.
We have forgotten that pain does have the possibility of building character just as suffering can also create empathy.
Please do not misunderstand me, self-esteem is Good! But anything good taken to the extreme can be bad. As we say in Spanish,
Nada con exceso, todo con medida.
Words to live by. Even if I did learn them from alcoholic beverages advertising! 😛
God Bless †
From The Pews 
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