Sobering words from the readings today...

February 3, 2008
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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1
Zep 2:3; 3:12-13

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,
who have observed his law;
seek justice, seek humility;
perhaps you may be sheltered
on the day of the LORD’s anger.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst
a people humble and lowly,
who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:
the remnant of Israel.
They shall do no wrong
and speak no lies;
nor shall there be found in their mouths
a deceitful tongue;
they shall pasture and couch their flocks
with none to disturb them.

The bold above is mine.

I read that in the sanctuary before Mass this morning. It just struck me about how even the humble who've kept the law, seek justice, seek humility PERHAPS will be "sheltered" or "saved" on the day of the Lord's anger. Not something I relished reading, I have to be honest. I am FAR away from seeking humility, justice, obeying and keeping God's law...but I hope and pray to be found humble and WITH faith when the Lord does return, as KING and I meet Him as JUDGE.

If even the elect are barely saved, what does that say? What does that mean? It does cause me to tremble, to WORK OUT my salvation WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. I too often get complacent, and settle for mediocrity in my life and my walk with the Lord. I must stay fervent in the FIRE of FAITH, in the FIRE of HIS LOVE, in the FIRE of cleansing, to CONFESS my sins to the priest God has given me, to be my Shepherd.

I didn't go yesterday to reconciliation. I wanted to, and 'felt' like it, but in the end, I didn't go. I made a choice not to go. Now, I'm not an over-scrupulous person, and don't want to beat myself up over every single thing I do or don't do, and become despairing of holiness. However, I must know this, my heart can be MOST DECEITFUL! It can take me down a wrong path so easily, in my thought life, long before I go down a literal path of destruction. So, here's my thought. If we're too presumptuous about our relationship with God, as at times, I know I have been...will I be able to escape His righteous anger? No. For God resists the proud, but lifts up the humble and gives ear to their cries/prayers.

So if I say "BUT GOD, the priest you gave me was too busy and didn't (As in the Garden of Eden) when Adam blamed God for giving him Eve, who 'did him wrong' and Eve blamed the Serpent, the Devil himself, and she didn't get off scot free, WHO AM I to think I can live as I please and do what I want, when I want, and think God won't mind, because He 'thinks just like me?!!" I could echo Adam and say, "God the husband you gave me didn't understand me." The boss you gave me never gave me a raise." "The house I live in is so small and not as nice as my friends" yada yada yada .... you know the drill. Complaining. That didn't make points with God in the desert, as those that did it found they became fodder for terra firma! Who do I think I am when I grumble and feel still so snug and safe in my "salvation" when I start making God in my image? JMJ pray for me! Pray for us to be faithful to our calling in life, no matter what it is. I am sometimes afraid of failing, but please, don't let me fall away. I know I can only fail when I truly am too blind to see my own sin, and yet see with eagle's eyes the sins of others. That will be a day too frightening to ponder, ...but I'm thinking I'd better ponder it, and I'd better examine my conscience a lot more than I do. Not to be a worry wart, but I sometimes think it might be better to some extent to be a "worry wart" about my salvation, than a proud so&so who's too confident to ponder it at all!