Choosing a Side

We make many decisions on a daily basis - what to drink, what to eat, what clothes to wear, how to respond to questions and situations, etc.  So, there are those everyday decisions about certain instances of our lives, i.e. what to do at this moment, and there are those decisions that we must make that dictate how we live our lives.  We must choose a side.

Do we choose to be on the side of good or on the side of evil?  Do we choose to stand with God or with the devil.  Do we choose to turn a blind eye or do we stand up for justice?  Do we choose sin or do we relish in love and communion?  Do we choose life or do we choose death?  We can not be in between on these matters.  As Christians we know we belong to God and to His love, but do we choose to do so?

It is essential that we know what we choose because that will dictate how we will live our lives.  If we choose the side of good and life, then our actions will be directed towards that.  However, if we choose the side of evil and death, then our actions and decisions will lead to destruction and hopelessness.  We must choose a side and hold fast to that decision, and live each day safeguarding it.  Hopefully we will choose to stand with the side of good and life because only then will we find joy and fulfillment.  As Scripture tells us, our God is the God of the living and not of the dead.  We were created for life.  Jesus came to give us life, and for us to have it to the full.  We are a people of life.  We are such because we are created in the image and likeness of God, who is love and life.  Though death entered by the sin of man (Adam), life and eternal life was won for us by Jesus.

We are by nature made for the good and made for life.  We must know that.  We must believe that.  There is only one life - Jesus: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn. 14:6).  Our Lord tells us in today's Gospel reading: "Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters" (Lk. 11:23).  If we choose life, we choose to stand with Christ.  If we choose to stand with Christ, we will remain intact for we will be united in Him.  In remaining with Christ and being united in Him we will have life, joy, peace, hope, and love.

 What is your decision? Will you stand united with Christ?  Choose Christ, choose life.  Let us ask God for the grace of courage and fortitude to remain steadfast in our resolve to stand with Christ.       

Comments

  1. John HoMarch 29, 2019 at 3:26 PM

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  2. John HoMarch 29, 2019 at 3:28 PM

    “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” –Matthew 6:24
    Someone may say: "God's will does not necessarily contradict with my objectives. We will look for what is good to ourselves and at the same time doing God's will." This sounds very appealing and creates no conflict in our everyday life as we are Catholics going about our daily life of self satisfying business, fitting in some good deeds and charity in between whenever we have the extra time and effort to spare. However, to think deeper into the verse above, one cannot be in the middle ground. Can we go deeper into our own mind and consciousness to discern what is my own desire versus what is God's will? Can we give up our own desire to comply with God's will? Not totally, even if we would like to, but we need to survive the harsh environment of livelihood, to make a living, plus all the joy and entertainment as well. Can we abandon ourselves to deny ourselves of our desires which are for our own "good", all that is but pleasure and superficial things that come and go? If we think about the things that satisfy both ourselves and God's will, the premise is that they satisfy ourselves. If we choose God's will without regard to ourselves, then don't even think about how that could be good to ourselves. There is no intersection. It is one way or the other. And thus, it is a very hard road to take. As you get closer to God, you are losing of your own desires and the demand of this world that you live in. In exchange is the state of completeness and wholesome that is to be with God, holiness...

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    Replies
    1. A beloved sonApril 25, 2019 at 6:58 PM

      You are right in saying "As you get closer to God, you are losing your own desires and the demand of this world that you live in." In the spiritual life we often speak of "abandonment of one's will to God's." What you said is true, but what is the attitude and outlook you have about it? It is accompanied with a sense of unwillingness or regret? Or does joy and hope comes with it? To get closer to God is to realize and believe that the world can never really give you what you truly want, and that the more attached you are to the world, the unhappier you will become. See the entry on "Building Tents and Mountaintop Experiences." Just like how you ended your comment, the ultimate end and goal, and the fulfillment of our heart's desire resides in Communion with God. Let's accompany one another on this journey, knowing that we are only pilgrims here, "strangers in a strange land." God bless. Peace and all good!

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