Day 14 Tuesday March 3 – [F] Do not use toys that require batteries or electricity
RO: Is it wrong to be angry? The quick answer is no. // We know from scripture that Christ himself was angry. // We need to be able to see trials and suffering and little crosses as opportunities to grow in holiness. // With proper discernment we can channel how we respond to this anger.
Isaiah 1: 10, 16-20
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Matthew 23: 1-12
The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.
Since I don’t play really with toys (except for Nora’s) I have interpreted this as “do not use your phone for anything other than making calls/texts today”. I mostly succeeded but definitely failed twice – mainly by forgetting that taking a picture counted as using my phone. Dang it swiss army phone! On the other hand I did only send one text. So mission accompl-ish-ed?
The message from scripture today is to “practice what you preach”. To paraphrase a priest’s homily about this: Do your words match your actions?
How often are our struggles “failing despite our best intentions”? The scribes and Pharisees intentionally were hypocritical and knew that they were preaching without practicing. Jesus’ message to us to is not to be intentionally hypocritical, but instead to work hard and try to have our actions match His ways. Though we might fail He loves us for trying. And though we might fail He wants us to keep trying. He encourages us to “cease to do evil; learn to do good.”
Notice the words “learn” and “practice” in His message? Jesus wants us to try for Him. He recognizes that we are not perfect. We won’t get it right right away. But that is okay. As long as we recognize our shortcomings and continue to work to walk in His ways we are on the right path.
Let us pray for the ability to better recognize when we fail to practice what He preaches so that we are ever learning how to do good.
Continue to Day 15
Give God Your Yes 