My MAJOR Sin!!!

[MainBrain]

A thought has been subtlety coming to my conscious mind.

For years I have been so wrapped up in what I am not getting out of life, whether it be in marriage or money or success… yet I don’t take into regard the vast suffering of people around the world, nor do I hardly pray for their suffering.

I have to repent of this. I hope I can.

 

[Convert_in_99]

A thought has been subtlety coming to my conscious mind.

For years I have been so wrapped up in what I am not getting out of life, whether it be in marriage or money or success… yet I don’t take into regard the vast suffering of people around the world, nor do I hardly pray for their suffering.

I have to repent of this. I hope I can.

You certainly CAN!

Go to confession next week and say what you said to us to the priest. He will absolve you and all will be well again.

 

[the_phoenix]

A motto that I find helpful is this:

Acknowledge God.
Take the next right step,
and be a sign of hope to those around you.

 

[psalm90]

A thought has been subtlety coming to my conscious mind.

For years I have been so wrapped up in what I am not getting out of life, whether it be in marriage or money or success… yet I don’t take into regard the vast suffering of people around the world, nor do I hardly pray for their suffering.

I have to repent of this. I hope I can.

As a previous post said, you can submit this in the confessional. I confessed a sin like that some time ago, stating how I tear up and discard all these appeals for money for local and distant good causes. The priest said that he does the same thing.

We all learned that the Red Cross collected money that was donated for the relief of the victims and families of the terrorist attack in New York on 9/11/01 – that the Red Cross diverted or retained for future use, a lot of that money. When the tsunami hit in South East Asia, I didn’t give a dime. I had no assurance that any such money would get aid for any of the victims. In fact, aid did not arrive for days, or longer. Cynical locals were screaming into TV cameras–where is your help for us? The cameras got there, the aid took longer, if it got there at all.

I have handed out cash to street beggars who in moments were buying cigarettes and alcohol.

The ancient Didache advised people way at the beginning, to hold on to your money tightly and to donate it only when you knew where it was going and what it was for. I think that wisdom still stands.

A priest from Cross Catholic (Society?) was at our church stating that his organization supports missionary activities within their budget – they don’t commit to everything, but just to what they think they can raise. I trusted them and sent the money they suggested for building a house for the homeless. They cashed my check for $2600+ but that’s the last I’ve heard of them. They haven’t even given me a receipt for tax purposes. I’d say stay away from them.

 

[Arizona_Fat_Gir]

Maybe not giving a lot of money is in order.

I know Halo Animal Rescue and Arizona Humane Society are good choices.

Food for the Poor is also good, and I get a a letter from them whenever I give.

St. Vincent’s is a worthy charity and you know they will use the money for the people who need it. They just had a turkey drive this last week.

 

[Wampa]

OP, here’s something that I’ve done that’s helped me in that regard. Every night when I pray, I always focus on what I’m thankful for. Normally that zeroes in on the personal blessings close to me (wife, family, friends, job, etc.), which is probably what most people think about when they think of being thankful.

But at least once a week, I make sure to focus my thanksgiving on the greater structural blessings of my life that I had no control over, such as being born in a mostly prosperous country, being born into the middle class, having parents that highly valued my education, being born into a relatively stable family, having no major medical conditions, etc.

As I really go through and examine those things, it cannot help but force me to recognize that 90%+ of people around the world would happily trade spots with me, even though, in my experience, I just live a normal, boring middle class existence. Focusing on that in prayer on a regular basis keeps my perspective correctly oriented (I hope!).