Repentance - Thoughts on Tuesday of Holy Week, 2011

His name was Dismas.  For way too long he had to bear the insults and the jokes hurled at a man he didn’t think deserved it.  These people’s emotions were out of control!  But not the man to his right; he was in perfect control.  Gestas was even insulting this man. What a fool! Other than the occasional grunt of discomfort from the enormous pain this man was enduring, the man to his right said nothing.  He almost looked upon these people with pity.  Not revengeful pity; but a deep loving remorse.

How could a man under such intense suffering seem to love these enemies of His?  Finally, Dismas had had enough. “Have you no fear of God,” he asked Gestas, “for you are subject to the same condemnation? This man has done nothing criminal."  Then, he said to the man to his right, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

"Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise," said Jesus to a perfect confession from a contrite penitent.

To repent is to “feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's sin.”  But, one must first recognize sin.  Recognizing sin means understanding that we don’t get to define right or wrong for ourselves.  Right and wrong are defined for us by God. It has been handed to us through the Ten Commandments. 

Next, we must recognize the consequences of sin.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  That’s pretty clear.

Lastly, we must recognize the Sacrament of Penance is a sacrament instituted by Christ for the forgiveness of sins.  The very first command Jesus gives to the Apostles the first time He appears to them after his resurrection is “(Jesus) said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.’“ That’s pretty clear too.

Mortification - Thoughts on Monday of Holy Week, 2011

Mortification is a method of bringing oneself under control. It allows you to be more in tune with your intellect instead of your emotions.  It is a way to achieve self-mastery. Mortification means “putting to death” through self-denial old habits that stand in the way of being what Matthew Kelly calls “the best-version-of-yourself.”  The best-version-of-yourself is another way of “being perfect (whole and complete) as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

“The man who has not learned to mortify (put to death old bad habits) himself, has within himself the enemies of peace and goodness.  He is easily around against those who thwart or oppose his selfish desires.  He sees the obligations of others, but he remains blind to his own.  He blames little things in others, while he excuses bigger faults in himself (The Confraternity of the Precious Blood, http://confraternitypb.org)."

Jesus says what He means and means what He says. "Could you not keep watch for one hour (Mark 14:37-42)?" Why one hour?  Why not more or why not less? Knowing He knew well our human nature, Jesus wasn't asking Simon for something that he could not achieve.  Jesus' use of the words "keeping watch" is another interesting part of this passage.  When you minimally interpret "keeping watch" as meaning "time of prayer” I take away the length of time for which you should "keep watch" daily.  One hour of prayer a day.  Sounds like a lot. But prayer is essential to mortification.

If you want to be the best at anything it takes practice and discipline.  Athletes understand this; musicians understand this. Prayer also takes practice and it also takes discipline. But isn’t following Christ take discipline? Christ himself was the perfect example of discipline.  He was in total control of himself at all times. He never lost control while he was preaching.  He never lost control on his way to Calvary.