Puppies, Kittens and the Circles of Sin

[johnnyc176]

patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2017/03/puppies-kittens-circles-sin.html

Weak minded clergy have swallowed the idea that they shouldn’t talk about sin because that makes people feel guilty and bad and that’s not nice. But this is like a doctor, who knows you have cancer, saying, “I don’t really like to mention the “C” word because that might make you feel uncomfortable.”

Father Longenecker’s Homily – The Circles of Sin – Part 1

olrgreenville.com/news-events/father-longeneckers-homily-3517-the-circles-of-sin-part-1/

 

[Bridgit_Andrews]

I’ve not listened to the homily. However from the bit you quoted, I have to agree. We as a society have been brainwashed into believing it isn’t cool to say things that others may find offensive (political correctness has run rampant.)

We don’t want to hear that abortion is the murder of helpless unborn humans. Instead it is the removal of tissue under the guise of “womans’ healthcare.”

Believing that one can be possessed by demons gets an eye-roll.

Believing in hell practically gets one black listed.

Everything must always be sunshine and roses and heaven help the person who may look at another in a funny way.

Peace,
B

 

[TruthSeeker319]

I’ve not listened to the homily. However from the bit you quoted, I have to agree. We as a society have been brainwashed into believing it isn’t cool to say things that others may find offensive (political correctness has run rampant.)

We don’t want to hear that abortion is the murder of helpless unborn humans. Instead it is the removal of tissue under the guise of “womans’ healthcare.”

Believing that one can be possessed by demons gets an eye-roll.

Believing in hell practically gets one black listed.

Everything must always be sunshine and roses and heaven help the person who may look at another in a funny way.

Peace,
B

^
Yes! Sadly, the secular worldview that leads us to believe in this is actually undermining our faith. We NEED Christ to save us from our sin! We as humans are in need of salvation which logically means there is something that we need saving from.

 

[Bridgit_Andrews]

We as humans are in need of salvation which logically means there is something that we need saving from.

This is often forgotten, even in Christian circles. We know we are saved or are being saved or hope to be saved. Yet we forget from what.

 

[Jeanne_S]

patheos.com/blogs/standingonmyhead/2017/03/puppies-kittens-circles-sin.html

Father Longenecker’s Homily – The Circles of Sin – Part 1

olrgreenville.com/news-events/father-longeneckers-homily-3517-the-circles-of-sin-part-1/

Great homily from one of our courageous priests! Definitely gives one pause for thought.

 

[joeybaggz]

We don’t want to hear that abortion is the murder of helpless unborn humans. Instead it is the removal of tissue under the guise of “womans’ healthcare.”

Believing that one can be possessed by demons gets an eye-roll.

Believing in hell practically gets one black listed.

Everything must always be sunshine and roses and heaven help the person who may look at another in a funny way.

Peace,
B

This brings to mind an interesting point from Scripture. When Moses was leading the Chosen People through the desert, they found themselves dying from thirst. God commanded Moses to tap a rock with his staff and water would pour forth. Moses tapped the rock twice. Now, the poor guy might have been weak from thirst himself and the double tap was an accident. Moses stuttered, maybe he had a nervous tic. Who knows.
Yet for his act of “disobedience” God told Moses he would not be allowed to enter the promised land. Over forty years of faithfulness to God, yet for this one transgression, he would pay a heavy price. He could see it, and God took Moses up Mt. Nebo to look on the promised land, but then Moses died. Pretty strict I’d say for a simple double tap.

Today, as the OP and others have mentioned, we try to softsoap all forms of vice and sin, from the most benign to the most mortal.

Maybe the most faithful man to God in the Bible, Moses was punished severely for his transgression. But people today expect to spend eternity with God regardless of their actions here and now. And the ministers of his church cower before the Pagan God of political correctness???

Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Shalom

 

[Dorothy]

This brings to mind an interesting point from Scripture. When Moses was leading to Chosen People through the desert, they found themselves dying from thirst. God commanded Moses to tap a rock with his staff and water would pour forth. Moses tapped the rock twice. Now, the poor guy might have been weak from thirst himself and the double tap was an accident. Moses stuttered, maybe he had a nervous tic. Who knows.
Yet for his act of “disobedience” God told Moses he would not be allowed to enter the promised land. Over forty years of faithfulness to God, yet for this one transgression, he would pay a heavy price. He could see it, and God took Moses up Mt. Nebo to look on the promised land, but then Moses died. Pretty strict I’d say for a simple double tap.

Today, as the OP and others have mentioned, we try to softsoap all forms of vice and sin, from the most benign to the most mortal.

Maybe the most faithful man to God in the Bible, Moses was punished severely for his transgression. But people today expect to spend eternity with God regardless of their actions here and now. And the ministers of his church cower before the Pagan God of political correctness???

Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Shalom

The Lord would know if the second tap was accidental. A point was being made that our faith needs to be strong. And, although Moses didn’t get to see the promised land, he is now in the real Promised Land.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

I havent met a Priest yet who does not talk of sin and speak of himself as a sinner.

Our most humble and loving Pope Francis calls himself a sinner looked upon by the lord.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

I’ve not listened to the homily. However from the bit you quoted, I have to agree. We as a society have been brainwashed into believing it isn’t cool to say things that others may find offensive (political correctness has run rampant.)

We don’t want to hear that abortion is the murder of helpless unborn humans. Instead it is the removal of tissue under the guise of “womans’ healthcare.”

Believing that one can be possessed by demons gets an eye-roll.

Believing in hell practically gets one black listed.

Everything must always be sunshine and roses and heaven help the person who may look at another in a funny way.

Peace,
B

Completely agree, however…

There was a thread here not too long ago about modesty and that the priest did not speak in homily on modesty issues.  I felt it wasn't appropriate of the priest to do so when someone in the church could feel singled out- as if, what if they were newcomers and did not know... they'd feel unwelcome and ashamed.   

 It seems to me that there are times things should be spoken about and times when it isn't prudent to do so.   Anytime you want to speak to someone about serious sin, if you really love them, you will want to do it at a time and place where they will not feel threatened or hurt.   Of course, telling someone their sin is probably going to make them feel uncomfortable and end up feeling hurt or sad, but hopefully they will be able to see in your timing and behavior that you did not mean to hurt but help.    I think its absolutely imperative that somehow when mentioning sins that the person does not feel unloved or unwelcome, but that you are hurt for them as well.     I believe that is what God does when we receive His grace extended to us.

You can bark at someone all year long about their sins, but if they do not feel loved, they are not going to change. its God’s love that changed us. ----> 1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us…” Christians must do the same to be God’s body, working for Him. But, YES, absolutely we have to stand firm in what we know is wrong and not cater to feelings rather than truth. Its a hard line to play. Stressful, difficult… but God said this was the narrow path… Matthew 7:13 Its not easy. Its very difficult to risk the affection of people you love to tell them something they don’t want to hear and might hate you for it, hate you for your love and concern. After all, they crucified Christ, to you they will do the same if they want nothing of Him.

 

[AnneElizabeth]

This brings to mind an interesting point from Scripture. When Moses was leading the Chosen People through the desert, they found themselves dying from thirst. God commanded Moses to tap a rock with his staff and water would pour forth. Moses tapped the rock twice. Now, the poor guy might have been weak from thirst himself and the double tap was an accident. Moses stuttered, maybe he had a nervous tic. Who knows.
Yet for his act of “disobedience” God told Moses he would not be allowed to enter the promised land. Over forty years of faithfulness to God, yet for this one transgression, he would pay a heavy price. He could see it, and God took Moses up Mt. Nebo to look on the promised land, but then Moses died. Pretty strict I’d say for a simple double tap.

Today, as the OP and others have mentioned, we try to softsoap all forms of vice and sin, from the most benign to the most mortal.

Maybe the most faithful man to God in the Bible, Moses was punished severely for his transgression. But people today expect to spend eternity with God regardless of their actions here and now. And the ministers of his church cower before the Pagan God of political correctness???

Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

Shalom

Good post,but I am wondering… I didn’t think the disobedience that excluded him from the promised land was the double tap but that he got angry when seeing the Israelites worshiping the idols and dropped the 10 commandments. For that I thought he was told he won’t enter. Just wondering because I had not heard what you said before.

 

[Bridgit_Andrews]

Completely agree, however…

There was a thread here not too long ago about modesty and that the priest did not speak in homily on modesty issues.  I felt it wasn't appropriate of the priest to do so when someone in the church could feel singled out- as if, what if they were newcomers and did not know... they'd feel unwelcome and ashamed.   

 It seems to me that there are times things should be spoken about and times when it isn't prudent to do so.   Anytime you want to speak to someone about serious sin, if you really love them, you will want to do it at a time and place where they will not feel threatened or hurt.   Of course, telling someone their sin is probably going to make them feel uncomfortable and end up feeling hurt or sad, but hopefully they will be able to see in your timing and behavior that you did not mean to hurt but help.    I think its absolutely imperative that somehow when mentioning sins that the person does not feel unloved or unwelcome, but that you are hurt for them as well.     I believe that is what God does when we receive His grace extended to us.

You can bark at someone all year long about their sins, but if they do not feel loved, they are not going to change. its God’s love that changed us. ----> 1 John 4:19 “We love because he first loved us…” Christians must do the same to be God’s body, working for Him. But, YES, absolutely we have to stand firm in what we know is wrong and not cater to feelings rather than truth. Its a hard line to play. Stressful, difficult… but God said this was the narrow path… Matthew 7:13 Its not easy. Its very difficult to risk the affection of people you love to tell them something they don’t want to hear and might hate you for it, hate you for your love and concern. After all, they crucified Christ, to you they will do the same if they want nothing of Him.

Modesty is a touchy issue anyway. It isn’t always black and white unlike abortion. One person’s modest dress may be another’s serious sin. And we do not want to go down any slippery slope that leads to all women in burkas.

That is all I’ll say on that subject.

As far as preaching from the ambo, I can’t remember the last time I heard a priest preach against any of the 7 Deadly Sins or exhort us to follow the 10 Commandments, etc. Most people don’t want to hear it so our priests feel bound to soft pedal their homilies so as to not lose parishioners.

I know it happens. My dad did not like something the priest said during a homily when I was in early elementary school. When he left that Sunday morning he did not go back and neither did the rest of us. So this one instance left two kids pretty much unchurched for a very long time. I ended coming back to the faith in my early adulthood. My sib hasn’t been to any church that I know of as an adult.

I don’t blame the priest and I don’t blame my dad. It was just how things worked out for us.

Peace,
B

 

[joeybaggz]

Good post,but I am wondering… I didn’t think the disobedience that excluded him from the promised land was the double tap but that he got angry when seeing the Israelites worshiping the idols and dropped the 10 commandments. For that I thought he was told he won’t enter. Just wondering because I had not heard what you said before.

Anne. What I wrote was something that I was taught many many years ago. Because of your question, I went back to research. I might be half right and half wrong.

In Ex.17: 5-7, the water from the rock is told. It takes place at Massah and Meribah.

In Deut,32, 48-52, Moses’ death is foretold by the Lord. The Lord explains in verse 50-52, , Moses would not enter the promised land because “you shall die there on the mountain that you ascend and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin; because both of you broke faith with me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to maintain my holiness among the Israelites.”

Interestingly, in Ex 18, the next chapter to the above referenced chapter 17,we are told of a battle where the Lord promised the Israelites would be victorious as long as Moses kept his arms raised. But Moses grew tired and dropped his arms several times and each time the battle turned against the Israelites. So Moses had his arms supported by others.

Ex 17: 5-7 says nothing about striking the rock twice. Yet the foretelling of Moses’ death mentions that very place, Meribath-kadesh as the place where Moses and Aaron broke faith with God.

All I can say is that somewhere along the line, some teacher I encountered suggested that Moses struck the rock more than once in disobedience of God. Might have been a intermingling of the two Exodus chapters and the dropping of the arms became a tapping of the rock twice? Can’t say for sure.

The scripture passages here are from the NRSV.

Shalom

 

[johnnyc176]

I havent met a Priest yet who does not talk of sin and speak of himself as a sinner.

Our most humble and loving Pope Francis calls himself a sinner looked upon by the lord.

I think the point Father is making is that it is one thing to call yourself a sinner but quite another to know what sin is. Many priests are reluctant to call sin a sin and following that to say ‘go and sin no more’ as Jesus said. Jesus gave the Catholic Church a mission…the salvation of souls. The identification and condemnation of sin is necessary in carrying out that mission.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

I think the point Father is making is that it is one thing to call yourself a sinner but quite another to know what sin is. Many priests are reluctant to call sin a sin and following that to say ‘go and sin no more’ as Jesus said. Jesus gave the Catholic Church a mission…the salvation of souls. The identification and condemnation of sin is necessary in carrying out that mission.

I was in Annointing healing Mass this week, at a residential facility. We do Stations of the Cross at Lent, before Mass. Then some absolving sins, then annointing. I often wonder what the 98 /100yo residents need absolving. It is a great reflection that we never stop asking for, or being forgiven. Or sinning