Us human beings are tricky creatures to figure out. We're made in God's Adorable Image, yet we are sinful, and have a part of us comprised of original sin. We are loving, kind, and generous, but we can also be hateful, spiteful, and stingy. We have the capacity to do infinite good - or infinite evil. Where do we lie on the scales of justice? How do we figure out our tricky, tricky nature?
Our nature seeks complete and total union with God. It seeks to unite itself more closely to the Father in Heaven we all know in the depths of our hearts and souls. Yet, there is always a piece of us that is linked to earth, that draws us away from God: original sin. What's the deal here?
Oftentimes, when people sin, a common excuse can be "the devil made me do it," or "X person made me do it." But what about us, hm? When is it that we assign responsibility for our actions to ourselves, that we give ourselves part of the blame for the wrongdoing we face in our own sinfulness?
We ARE the hands and feet of Christ on earth! Every time we receive the Eucharist, we receive Christ into ourselves, so that it is no longer US who is living, but HIM in us. We choose our own actions - either to glorify or to hinder Christ's working in and through us. But, either way, Christ WILL work through us - He uses even our SINS for own own good! Everything that we give to Him, He accepts, because He is Infinite Love!
So, what happens when we give Christ free reign of our soul? Beautiful things. :) Even though we are sinful, even though we have this dark, dark part of our souls capable of so much worse, choosing to do good instead of evil brings us that much closer to God. God is all-powerful - yet He is infinite love! God is all-mighty - yet He is infinite gentleness! God is completely strong and infinite - yet He is completely small and weak in Christ! What a mystery of a God! And how better to live in the Image of God Himself than as beings capable of destroying, yet using that power to create instead! Beings that are capable of hating, loving instead! Beings that are capable of hurting, healing instead! What a beautiful, marvelous gift we have been given in being given the power to choose, and the freedom to make the correct decision, as God always does, because God is pure love!
Yes, we do have bad in us - but God is overwhelmingly good! We cannot forget in the battle to master ourselves that GOD HAS ALREADY WON AGAINST SIN AND DEATH! The battle has ended! We only need look to the Cross for our redemption in everything, for the hope in our despair! God will guide us if only we hope and trust in Him, if we really believe that His Love endures and pervades throughout our entire lives.
Let us ask for the love that 1 Corinthians 13 speaks of - not just for others, but also in gratitude for the gift of our selves in Christ!!!!
In the Love of Christ through Mary,
Christina :)
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