As I reflect on this week’s readings, I think about my childhood and my Catholic upbringing. I have vivid memories of the church bell chiming its 10 minute warning as I race through the house to prepare for mass. I reminisce about the whole family kneeling around my parent’s bed reciting the rosary. I remember leaning against the cold cinder block wall of the church near the confessional curtain, once a week, nervously waiting for my turn to confess my sins. I would mentally recite the Ten Commandments and fret over what I would confess to the good Father, for I knew with certainty that I had not broken any of God’s Commandments!
As children we are taught to always “follow the rules” and that indeed there will be consequences if we do not! In today’s first reading, Moses speaks to the Israelites of God’s commandments and encourages them to commit to God’s word. He sternly warns them that if they choose NOT to follow these “rules” there will surely be severe consequences. Through this reading, Moses is expressing to us that, in establishing a covenant, God will continue to care for us, while we in turn obey God. As long as we remain faithful to God and his commandments He will remain faithful to us. It seems like an easy enough trade-off, so why shouldn’t we all just look at this as a “blessing” and not a “curse”? Why? Probably because none of us are perfect; none of us are without sin. So at times we all walk that fine line between the “blessing” and the “curse”. We don’t commit “mortal” sins, but we may occasionally commit a “venial” sin. We ask for forgiveness for this pardonable sin, but have we fallen from grace with God? This brings me to the second reading of Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans.
In the second reading it seems as though Paul is contradicting Moses’ warning, however, I believe that he is simply shoring up Moses’ words with yet another challenge for us. Paul speaks to us as sinners. He points out that we are all sinners, but that these sins will be “justified” or forgiven as long as we believe that there is redemption through Christ’s death and resurrection. Paul realizes that we are human and cannot possibly be perfect; therefore we must have “faith” as well as “laws” to carry us through this journey with God. Paul is not dismissing God’s “laws”, he is merely pointing out that having faith and abiding by the commandments must go hand-in-hand. God loves us and he will not take that gift of love away as long as we have faith, and that faith is what will guide us along the true path to God’s grace. This brings me to today’s gospel reading.
The gospel reading today expresses to us that we must be faithful to God and his commandments as he has presented them to us. We can’t just go off all “willy-nilly” and change these “rules” to meet our needs. We must continue to nurture our relationship with Jesus in order to keep our “house” strong. When we stray from God and choose not to listen to Jesus’ words we are putting our “house” in grave danger of sliding down that slippery slope of sand! We must listen to God and follow His directions. God is our ultimate judge, and as faithful followers we must remain sound and true to the way of God’s Word.
So the next time you are prayerfully waiting for your turn at the confessional, don’t be that nervous little child thinking about the Commandments in a fearful way. Think of them as God’s gift to us to be used, along with faith, as our guide to build a “stronger house” here on earth, so that one day we, too, can be at God’s side in heaven.
Erin Arthurs is an RTI Interventionist at North Elementary and a long time St. John parishioner.
Question of the Week:
Lent starts this week! How will you use this season to build a stronger house?
