Musings from one of the women: "Your sins have been forgiven, go and sin no more."

Gifts of the Spirit

There are different gifts but the same Spirit; there are different ministries but the same Lord; there are different works but the same God who accomplishes all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one the Spirit gives wisdom in discourse, to another the power to express knowledge. Through the Spirit one receives faith; by the same Spirit another is given the gift of healing, and still another miraculous powers. Prophecy is given to one; to another power to distinguish one spirit from another. One receives the gift of tongues, another that of interpreting the tongues. But it is one and the same Spirit
who produces all these gifts distributing them to each as he wills.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
May we all live the gifts that we have been given in humble service to God and others.

Friday, October 16, 2009

"Your sins have been forgiven, go and sin no more."

How lucky are we that we have this awesome ritual called the Sacrament of Reconciliation?!

I will admit, that for much of my adult life (most of which was spent away from the church), I never really saw the need to confess my sins to another human being; I could just go straight to God.

And now, I see this sacrament as such a gift.

There is something about actually verbalizing my sinfulness, out loud and to another person, that gives me the sense of "letting go" of it, and allowing the unconditional love of God to manifest within my heart. There is a freedom in acknowledging my shortcomings and seeking the divine help of God, in knowing that I do not, ever, have to travel this road alone and that I am, and will always be forgiven and unconditionally loved by God.

Peace to All!

1 comment:

The Well Done ReviewOctober 21, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Amen.

Don't forget, though, that it is legitimately different. At the moment of absolution, the priest acts "in persona Christi" and legitimately absolves your sins. In general, that doesn't happen when you simply pray on your own about it.

But you betcha, Confession is absolutely a wonderful and beautiful gift!
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Her Name

There is a lot I don’t know
about courage.
I think I would have been
hiding with the rest,
Or alone, crying.

She was crying too,
just three days after he died,
as she came to the tomb
to tend to the only needs of his
there were left to tend to.
And when she found him gone
it was too much,
And all she wanted to do
was to find him,
And cling to what was left of her life.

She must have heard him
say it so many times,
and maybe it always made
her think of the first time
He had spoken her name
and driven out the demons,
when he had saved her
and changed everything.

So maybe the others could hide,
but she had to be near him,
she had to care for him
even if it was too late.

And then she heard, “Mary, “
her name, in His voice,
and it was unmistakable,
and it wasn’t too late:
His voice could still calm storms
and shatter hearts of stone
and cast out every demon
of fear and loneliness from her heart.

She heard him say her name that day
and she had the courage to
let him change her life again.

Thomas Flowers, SJ
Walking Humbly: Scripture Meditations in Verse

Musings from one of the women

Gifts of the Spirit

Friday, October 16, 2009

"Your sins have been forgiven, go and sin no more."

1 comment:

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