CatholicJules.net

2nd Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 3:10–17

You have followed my teaching, way of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, persecutions that I endured. Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me. In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But wicked people and charlatans will go from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

Everyday is a struggle for me, so it is for everyone on the journey.  The closer we get to Christ, the deeper the relationship the more the trials and temptations we seem to receive. St Paul reminds us today that he too and many of our brothers and sisters before us have undergone the same persecutions if not far worst.  But why do they continue?  I  believe it is because they carry Jesus with them in their hearts and they recall the love and peace they have experienced that no one and nothing on earth can provide except our Lord and Saviour and they know they will receive the Grace again at the end of the trial and  bear witness to His Glory.

It is far easier to give up, to taste the forbidden fruit and enjoy its shortlived ecstasy only to wander again in nothingness. How many? Including I have said “all in good time” or “tomorrow definitely tomorrow”  well friends…. what if tomorrow never comes for you?  Do not be deceived!  The truth St Paul speaks about is evident in our lives, be it with our own families, friends, even acquaintances, the wicked go from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. Let us call to mind what we were called to do on ash Wednesday and put it to action and that is to “Turn away from Sin and be faithful to the Gospels.”

Only then can we truly grow in faith and righteousness and are able to share the Good News to others in our daily lives.

May the Love of Jesus be upon you always. Amen

Yes I know this is long overdue since we are now in the third week of Easter celebrations already, but I have been kept pretty busy doing both the Lord’s work and work at the office.  On the onset I must say that my Lenten journey this year has been rocky and painful but I have learnt much and have yet more to learn!  I will be as brief as possible and share only the most important points/lessons that I have learned and experienced.

Many observe the Lenten fast or abstinence in their own way i.e. according to their own faith level and even physical constitution.  For me, I did a 12 hour fast from food and water beginning each they at 5 am the fast started from 6am till 6pm in the evening.  The first few days were the toughest since the body wants what is wants but soon enough it adjusted and I could concentrate on why I was emptying myself and let the Lord fill me with His love.  To realise that our bodies does not actually need that much food or drink to survive, and that discipline of the body aids in spiritual discipline as well.

The closer I got to the Lord my God in the journey, the greater too the temptations to stray.  And when I could no longer attend daily Mass since my wife returned to work after her maternity leave was over, I found myself not only hungering and thirsting for the Eucharist but my propensity to sin increased.  The Eucharist is indeed a great gift of Love for us, the nourishment we need to resist sin and to remain in communion with our one Triune God and His children our brothers and sisters.  Another great gift of Love is the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God receiving us close to His bosom even though we had strayed, freeing us from the bondage of sin and allowing His peace and Love to flow through our very being.  I experienced His love for me even when I could not go for the sacrament till six days later, He knew I had fallen once again but with a contrite heart I cried out to Him and He heard me.  He gave me consolations of peace and love till I manage to embrace Him once again in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

The height and summit of the Lenten journey for me started on Maundy Thursday evening.  I had been tasked to prepare and lead the adoration prayers for the Altar of Repose immediately after the Maundy Thursday Eucharistic Celebration, and through much prayer and with the power of the Holy Spirit the adoration touched many who attended.  Also the presence of the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ our Lord was greatly felt by most who later attended the Lenten Vigil which followed from midnight to 6am Good Friday morning.  I am certain that most, if not all who attended grew very much closer to God in prayer and worship.  The team did a fantastic job, with videos of the passion of Christ, Praise and Worship sessions, meditation on the sorrowful mystery of the Rosary, Meditation on the powerful healing in uniting our sufferings with the Passion of Christ, Mediations on the Lord’s Supper and the stations of the cross.  Again I am very thankful for being able to participate and contribute in two of the meditations that morning.  It is indeed a powerful testament to witness God’s hand and to feel His presence throughout the Vigil, this only happens when we allow ourselves to be led and allow Him to work through us. Praise Be To God! Allelulia, Allelulia, Alleluia!

“when I speak, only the faithful hear my voice. To be faithful is to listen to my Word and obey my commandment to love. “

I received a vision, a message or more aptly a gentle reminder to share……..

Amid the storms of your life, yes there will be storms. When the waves of anxiety are overwhelming, the dark gloomy clouds of desperation looms over you, the thunder of insecurity and lightning pangs of pain sends clutches of fear to envelope your being. Know that I the Lord your God am with you, walk over the waters of faith and stay focussed on my Son.  Walk towards Him and He will lead you into my embrace. 

Praise Be to God!

All Saints have a past of an arduous but fruitful journey as all sinners do have a future of one.

Let us begin with our first little step today in the direction of our Lord Jesus Christ….. Amen

CatholicJules

Today’s Gospel Reading Mark 4:21-25

21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Notes And Personal Reflection

• (V21) Do I glorify God by spreading His Truth, Light, Way and Word? Do I share Jesus with everyone or hide him deep within?
• Bushel and Bed perhaps things pertaining to the palate or idleness. The disobedient ear, the love for the delights of one’s palate and rest.
• Do I hide the Word of God under the love of this transitory life and of carnal allurements ?(Bede)
• Do I spread His Light standing firm and upright like an oil lamp placed high up on a lamp stand for all to see?
• The candle within us is that of our intellectual nature, and it shines either clearly or obscurely according to the proportion of our illumination. For if meditations which feed the light, and the recollection with which such a light is kindled, are neglected, it is presently extinguished. (Chrysostom)
• Be not ashamed of the Gospel, but amidst the darkness of persecution raise the light of the word of God upon the candlestick of your body, keeping fixedly in your mind that day, when the Lord will throw light upon the hidden places of darkness, for then everlasting praise awaits you, and everlasting punishment your adversaries. (Bede)
• (V22) The parables have come to light, nothing is hidden. Jesus has given His Word to us and planted it in our hearts. Do we allow His Word to grow? To be planted and spread unto others by our words and deeds?
• Everything He spoke to them in private was meant to be openly manifested, and to come forth into public view. It is to the Apostles, words similar to these are addressed on several occasions, but with a different object (Matt. 10:26, 27).
• (V23) And let him learn that he is not to bury in unjust silence the instructions or the examples I give him; but must exercise them for the light and direction of others.
• That is, if any man have a sense for understanding the word of God, let him not withdraw himself, let him not turn his ear to fables, but let him lend his ear to search those things which truth hath spoken, his hands for fulfilling them, his tongue for preaching them. There follows, And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear.(BEDE)
• For each of us, whether he have done good or evil, is brought to light in this life, much more in that which is to come. For what can be more hidden than God, nevertheless He Himself is manifested in the flesh. It continues, If any man have ears to ear, let him hear.(Theophylact)
• Do we go often to the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that our ears can be unclogged to listen to the Word? When the sins of the flesh are washed away, we draw closer to God our Father, our heart and mind are one with Him.
• (V24) The more we listen attentively to the Word allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us, together with the teaching tradition of the Holy Church established by Christ, the more we receive. That is the Graces we need to grow in faith are abundantly bestowed upon us to share with others.
• That is, that none of those things which are said to you by me should escape you. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you, that is, whatsoever degree of application ye bring, in that degree ye will receive profit. (THEOPHYLACT)
• Or else, If ye diligently endeavour to do all the good which ye can, and to teach it to your neighbours, the mercy of God will come in, to give you both in the present life a sense to take in higher things, and a will to do better things, and will add for the future an everlasting reward. And therefore it is subjoined, And to you shall more be given.(BEDE)
• (V25) As in the parable of the Talents, more will be given for those who use the gifts for building the Kingdom of God. In this parable those who do not shine with the Light of Christ, brightly and boldly for all the world to see then they can expect that the light will be extinguished.
• PSEUDO-JEROME. According to the measure of his faith the understanding of mysteries is divided to every man, and the virtues of knowledge will also be added to them. It goes on: For he that hath, to him shall be given; that is, he who hath faith shall have virtue, and he who hath obedience to the word, shall also have the understanding of the mystery. Again, he who, on the other hand, has not faith, fails in virtue; and he who has not obedience to the word, shall not have the understanding of it; and if he does not understand, he might as well not have heard.
• PSEUDO-CHRYSOSTOM. (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) Or else, He who has the desire and wish to hear and to seek, to him shall be given. But he who has not the desire of hearing divine things, even what he happens to have of the written law is taken from him.
• BEDE. (ubi sup.) For sometimes a clever reader by neglecting his mind, deprives himself of wisdom, of which he tastes the sweetness, who, though slow in intellect, works more diligently.
• CHRYSOSTOM. (non occ.) Again it may be said, that he hath not, who has not truth. But our Lord says that he hath, because he has a lie, for every one whose understanding believes a lie, thinks that he has something.
• They who do not profit by the knowledge of the word of God, shall in punishment of their neglect, lose the advantage which they may seem to have, since it will turn in the end to their greater condemnation: and moreover, by trusting to their own judgment, they interpret the word in a perverse sense, and thus also lose what they seem to have. Nic. de Lyra.—Let those who talk so much about Scripture, and interpret it according to their own private spirit or fancy, see lest this also attach to them.

Hymn

A Call To Christians Lyrics

1. A light within the world
Yes, witnesses are we,
To bear the light of Christ
For all the world to see

Refrain:
We come with you, O Christ
In answer to Your Call;
Through love we give All.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

2. Your love and light, O Lord,
You send us to impart
To those who know You not
Yet love You in their heart.

3. Have mercy on the world
That sin and stife may cease;
Extend your reign, O Christ,
You are the King of Peace.

In today’s Missal the following reading and Gospel are as follows :

First Reading 1 Samuel 17:32–33, 37, 40–51
Gospel Mark 3:1–6

Summary of the first reading

The battle is God’s battle.  If our confidence is purely in the power of God rather than our own sufficiency, we may be certain the world’s utmost might cannot withstand.  God resists the proud and pours contempt upon those who bid defiance to His people.

Personal Reflection

• David found the armour provided for by Samuel burdensome, he decided to go into battle with the armour of God instead. How many of us facing our biggest, toughest problem carry all our anxiety and baggage with us? Do we lift our burdens to the Lord our God and trust in Him to help us?
• It was common in ancient times when opponents who faced off in battle, to launch derogatory remarks, expletives, even boasts.  Goliath did just that and more, he cursed David with his gods!  David however, in piety merely uttered that our God of Hosts will cut him and his people down for their defiance and arrogance.  How many of us have the Goliath complex? Insolent, boastful, prideful, overcome with rage?  How many of us when facing such a giant in vulnerability has the faith to do as David did?
• David’s victory over Goliath is a type of the triumph of the Son of God over Satan.  Goliath is also a remarkable type of the anti-Christ ( note 6 pieces of armour, vv. 5-7).  Just as David anointed for the kingship but not yet in power is defied by the boastful champion who he overcomes in the name of the Lord of Hosts, so too when Jesus comes as Lord of Hosts, anti-Christ will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming.

Summary Of Today’s Gospel

Those who are bound by disease and evil spirits are the special object of Jesus compassion and may find complete deliverance in Him, do they but stretch out the hand of faith toward Him.  Those are obstinate indeed in their unbelief, who set themselves against being convinced of the power of Christ by trying to explain it away, or attributing it to the devil.  All such are sinning against their last remedy.

Personal Reflection

While the summary contains many levels in itself for reflection,  I would like to highlight a point.  The Pharisees were waiting and watching to see if Jesus was going to perform an unlawful act in their opinion by healing the man with the withered hand.  They were an extremely ritualistic bunch bent on following the law to the latter.  Horses with blinds so to speak!

How many of us have fallen into meaningless rituals? Do the rituals we perform bring us closer to God? Do they bring joy into our lives and the lives of others? Do they allow us to share the Good News? Morning and evening prayers, attending Mass are just a few examples of the rituals in our lives, are they done with life, vigour, spirit filled?

Let us liveth in Christ as Christ liveth in us…..Amen!

Have you ever been accused of being a Scribe or a Pharisee? Were they all a bad bunch? Actually the Scribes were the doctors of the law of Moses; the Pharisees were a precise set of men, making profession of a more exact observance of the law: and upon that account greatly esteemed among the people.

The Pharisees or Perusim, (separatists) constituted the largest Jewish party following the return from the Babylonian captivity. They strongly embraced the concept of separatism from the non-Jewish people because of their superiority as God’s chosen people. The Pharisees were the “Puritans” of their time (Talmage, “Jesus the Christ, “pg. 66). They strongly held to the observance of the Oral Law as well as the Torah (the written law). “They attempted to direct their activities to the masses whom they sought to influence according to the traditional doctrines.” (Cecil Roth, The Concise Jewish Encyclopedia [New York City: New American Library, 1980], pg. 424)

The basic tenets of their beliefs were:

Pre-existence of Spirits
The reality of reward and punishment
The necessity for individual self-denial
The immortality of the soul
Resurrection of the dead
These Jewish beliefs were mostly abandoned as Christianity embraced them as fundamental tenets. “The Pharisee tradition became the norm for later [current] Rabbinic Judaism.” (Roth, pg. 424)

Perhaps it can be said the Pharisees often missed the mark completely because their blinds only enabled them to see the law but not the spirit of the law. Because in essence all laws are born out of love, hence it might be further said that they loved the laws but did not experience the love behind the laws.

Today we often see some leaders in our Church either adopting the role of  OT Pharisee or even that of a New age ‘Pharisee’ liberalising it’s laws and professing that only the Spirit of the law is more important.  What did Jesus have to say about this?  Let us see….

In Matthew 5:17-21 He says…

17 “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. 18 For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. 19 Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Be it a gentle love or be it a tough love the message is quite clear, for the Love of God, Love with all your heart, your mind and your soul.

Matthew 5:43-47

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

1 Samuel 3:1–10, 19–20

Can one have a favourite scripture passage? For me, this one comes close especially when the old can be seen in the light of the new.

In this old testament passages, we see God’s calling for Samuel and of His (God’s) Justice, Goodness, Faithfulness to come.  We hear a certain urgency when God calls his name twice the fourth time. 1 Sam 3:10 ( see Gen 22:11) (Luke 22:31)

Reflection

• How many times have the Lord the called us but we were not listening?
• Are our ears opened but only to hear the call of the world?
• Or have we answered Yes Lord! But have not truly listened with our heart and opened our eyes in Faith?
• Have we heard God’s calling for us? His Will for us? Or have we acted on our own perhaps even preaching but not practising what we preach?
• Have we stayed back at the end of the Eucharistic Celebration to thank Him and have Him speak to us?

Have we truly declared in humility and meekness “Here I am Lord! I have heard your calling and am here to do your Will!”

or have we? Allowed ourselves to preach and do good works for our own glory? Not according to His Will for His Kingdom and Glory??

Matt 7:21-23

21 “Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ ( Greek translation Anomian from the word anomia Lawlessness (not God’s Law) )

In today’s first reading 1 Samuel 1:9–20 we read about how distraught Hannah was on being barren. And how she was transformed through her deep heartfelt prayer to God.( 1 Sam 1:13 Hannah was speaking in her heart; only her lips moved, and her voice was not heard) When she left the doorpost of the temple she was no longer sad as she had lifted her burdens up to the Lord. She trusted in Him to answer Her prayer and He did.

Reflection

God answers all our prayers even if the answer is sometimes no. When we fully place our trust in Him, His grace will come upon us and we will experience His peace and love. Prayer leads us closer to God and to the sacraments whereby we experience Him not emotionally or vicariously but by His real presence.

Praise Be To God! Alleluia!

How do you help someone enter into a relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit? That is the question that has plagued me for many months? Am I the only one trying to help?, obviously not! The message of how to, is out there in homilies, books, Church fellowship talks, bible sharing, blogs, its practically everywhere.  But why are most people not listening? Do they not care for entering into a relationship with God?

Although this may be an over simplification, I believe the answer is a two fold one.  One, they have not fully surrendered their lives to God and two, they are holding on to their addictions, hurts, un-forgiveness or sins.

In both instances ‘I’ am in charge of my destiny, ‘I’ love my way of life it is all ‘I’ know! ‘I’ will continue to live this way, don’t try to teach ‘me’.  ‘I’ go to Church every Sunday and ‘I’ go for the sacrament of reconciliation at least once a year.  God knows what is in ‘my’ heart.  Or one day when I can muster enough strength I will change and come back to the Lord.  Why then do you not experience inner peace and constant happiness?  Why do you feel unfulfilled? Why is your life filled with anger and resentment?  Why do you constantly feel guilty? Why do you feel like you’re in quicksand half the time? Why does it seem your life is going in circles?

Ours is a loving God and His love endures for ever ( Psalm 136 ) God is love (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16) ; the God of love and peace (2 Cor 13:11); love is from God (1 John 4:7); he will be silent in His love (Zeph 3:17) In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us ( 1 John 4:10) For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) He came for sinners ( Matt 9:10 )

Why then be afraid to surrender to the Lord our God? Why do we say “They Kingdom come, thy Will be done” If we do not mean it?  Surrendering to Him does not mean we become mindless or risk being puppets with no control of our limbs, it simply means we invite God our Father to minister to us, to love us and to pour His graces upon us.  To allow Him to do this we need to empty ourselves. He must increase  but I must decrease (John 3:26 ) And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work (2 Cor 9:8)

Jesus came to draw sinners to himself (Luke 15:1) So why wait? He loves us and says there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. (Luke 15:7) Hence let Him transform us and He will do so, so long as we desire it with a contrite heart.  He will show us the way….He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself. (Philipians 3:21)

We therefore have a choice to make if want to enter into a relationship with God our Father.  Are we continuing to say I am Great as I am! Or do we bow down before the Great I AM and praise Him for His goodness?

Catholicjules.net

I realise that a book or two could be written about solely about Holy  Communion that is, both the Holy Eucharist and the Body of Christ.  The Love story of God and man from the beginning of time and throughout salvation history.  I have pondered all these in my heart and mind you these should be pondered upon regularly not just once in a long while, but perhaps at least every Sunday.    I am constantly filled with awe and intrigue as day by day a little more is revealed through Love, Faith, Charity and Grace.

A little while back as I finally entered into a personal relationship with our one triune God, I began to finally understand a little of what it meant to be in communion with my sisters and brothers in Christ.  No longer was I a stranger in my own faith community either by personal choice or otherwise but I began to understand a little bit better what it means to love your neighb0ur.  No longer would my hand hair stand on ends when an acquaintance in church would address me as ‘brother.’  No longer were my hands sooo heavy nor the uncomfortable feeling overwhelming that I could not raise it in praise and worship for our awesome God.  I could finally hug my sisters and brothers in Christ with genuine love and affection.  I began to slowly see that by receiving the true body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus in the Eucharist it connected me to His Body the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Still yet a deeper mystery to be unravelled in time….

Only today! my second time being privileged to be called to give Holy Communion to the sick, did God’s grace allow me to not only see the connection but truly experience the connection of not just giving but being in communion with.  It is truly a ‘Love Connection!’ In Love, With Love, and In Love; Through Him, With Him and In Him.

Praise be to God!

Some notes for further reflection …..

• our human body is the temple of God and so we can only receive Him when our body, mind and soul are ‘washed clean’. i.e. to put on our wedding garment.
• We experience God and partake in His diving nature when we are fruitful, to be fruitful is to live a righteous faithful life.  With virtue and knowledge,  knowledge with self control, self control with steadfastness, steadfastness with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, brotherly affection with love. Never forget we ourselves were cleansed of our past sins and are still in need of cleanliness.
• Through God’s Love

28 Sept 2011

“Your thoughts are not my thoughts, your words are not my words. If you love me do my Will.”

And towards the end of a praise and worship session, I had this strong prompting that……..God loves us whether we are deserving or not and he wants us to love others in the same way.

For those who do not have a relationship with God, do not know what it means to be in one and have no experience of God in their lives then just continue to do what you are doing.  You are on the right track of how NOT to have a relationship with Him let alone a deeper one.   Am I trying to drive you further away from God our Father? No on the contrary, I am trying to create an awareness of what are the ways that might keep us away from Him. 

From personal experience it is harder for someone to experience God when he/she is looking at life through tinted lenses and clogged ears.  What do I mean? Well because of our sinful ways, we often times choose to see the world the way we want to, act on our every desires and do not care that it is not God’s will for us.  The tint and clogged ears refers to sin in our lives hence the discoloured view and the inability to listen to the Word of God.

Here are some of the obstacles i.e. thoughts or actions that prevents us from a meaningful relationship with God our Father :-

• Not worshipping Him and not rightfully giving Him thanks and praise for all He has provided for us.  Thinking that whatever we have is by our own doing.
• Not praying and seeking His wisdom and counsel in all things.
• Think we are in control of everything.
• Thinking we have lots of time to repent and turn our lives around, so we do what we want to do. Live life like that is no tomorrow, party on…
• Treat the Sunday Eucharistic Celebration as a day of obligation.
• Arriving late for Mass and leaving before the last hymn is sung and not praying in thankgiving thereafter.
• Receiving the Eucharist even though we have committed grave sin/s.
• Letting our addictions control our lives without actively seeking help egs. Alcoholism, pornography, gambling, receational drug taking etc.
• Believing that most of the traditions and Sacraments of the Church are man-made and hence can be ignored afterall God knows our heart.
• We are only human and so God will understand if we give in to our weak nature.
• Read scripture like we are reading a book or magazine.
• Not doing a proper examination of conscience before going for the sacrament of reconciliation.
• Not making every effort to refrain from committing the sins we confessed.
• Cursing and swearing is okay because everyone is doing so.
• Believing that modesty is only in the heart.
• Intentionally exposing ourselves to explicit movies.
• Thinking it is okay to oggle hunks and babes in egs. swimsuit magazines etc.
• Not making every effort to increase in faith or knowledge of our Faith.
• Not praying regularly.
• Viewing the world as a ‘dog eat dog’ one and survival is only for the fittest.
• Watching Television for hours on end.
• Thinking that community service is only for those who have the time.
• There is Me, Myself And I.
• Work, work and more work 7 days a week.  I will rest when I’m dead or when I’m too old to.
• Life is all about happiness and the pursuit of it.
• Life is all about money and the pursuit of it.
• The ten commandments are only guidelines or just a movie.
• Communion is between me and God only.

The list provided is by no means exhaustive as there are many other areas not explored here like idolatry in things, items, celebrities, money etc. then there is relativism and much more.

Let us pray for one another, that we may all grow in faith and deepen our relationship with God our Father who loves us.  Amen.