tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34036312243822931362011-04-21T12:26:36.354-07:00*V*http://www.blogger.com/profile/05160150818590576377noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3403631224382293136.post-3002694554231015142009-02-26T19:22:00.000-08:002009-02-26T19:47:29.236-08:00Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I went to mass at noon, received my ashes and the reminder that I am dust and to dust I shall return. To me this is a reminder of something that is easy to forget: that I am merely human. Humans are prone to mistakes. We should learn from mistakes, rectify them, works towards making less of them, never forgot them....but we should not be hindered by them. We should not live dwelling in them. <br /><br />I have made my mistakes...plenty of them at that. <br /><br />.....but I will attempt to work to make less, to rectify them asap and to move forward with a better understanding of myself.<br /><br />Now on to today:<br /><br />Today's reading is Luke 9: 22-25. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;">He said, "The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes and be killed and on the third day be raised." The he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?" </span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Consumerism, pride, greed....all the worldly glories touted to us by the talking heads of our television, the billboards of our highways, the pages in our magazines and the brand names of everything we own are nothing if we no longer know ourselves and God. It is easy to get wrapped up in your daily life and forget to praise Him and thank Him for his love. It is easy to deny Him in your life until you need Him. God is not a toy or tool to be used for entertainment or only when you need Him. Luke reminds us that we must be with God daily. Prayer is a necessary part of daily life, but so is good charity. Not only must we ask the Lord to be with us, but we must bring His word and love to others in the form of aide and unprejudiced, unconditional, caring love. <br /><br />For without Him in our lives, we are nothing. We must take up our crosses and follow Him. If we let the world take our souls, what will we have left for the one who truly matters?<br /></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3403631224382293136-300269455423101514?l=reachthrough.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>*V*http://www.blogger.com/profile/05160150818590576377noreply@blogger.com0