“The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.” Robert Frost
(I came up with this little Rhyme…)Dorothy was so enjoying “Muchkin land” that she was tempted to stay. Then she remembered this was merely a stop on the way. Back to the path of God’s will, cost what it may!
“The sun looks down on nothing half so good as a household laughing together over a meal.” – C. S. Lewis
We need to get back the tradition of family meals…laughter, heart felt sharing, bonding…and this give the parents an opportunity to take the pulse of each child and their spouse!
“He who does not acquire the love of God will scarcely persevere in the grace of God, for it is very difficult to renounce sin merely through fear of chastisement.” –St. Alphonsus Liguori
Go to Confession, not merely to unload the weight of your sins or simply out of fear of going to hell…go because you want to re-establish your friendship with Christ and get back on the road of trying to please him and glorify him in all things!
“Control your appetites, before they control you.” St. John Climacus
We are “rational animals” with the gift of reason, will power and most importantly, God’s grace…but we need to employ these gifts and form these habits….it’s not automatic and it’s very easy to fall!
“Let us now return to those who wish to travel on this road, and will not halt until they reach their goal, which is the place where they can drink of this water of life. As I say, it is most important – all important, indeed – that they should begin well by making an earnest and most determined resolve not to halt until they reach their goal, whatever may come, whatever may happen to them, however hard they may have to labor, whoever may complain of them, whether they reach their goal or die on the road or have no heart to confront the trials which they meet, whether the very world dissolves before them.” St. Teresa of Avila As a Catholic priest and marathon runner, I see so many parallels between the race of our daily living of virtue and running a 26.2 mile race hard…one can help the other!
“Fall seven times. Stand up eight.” Japanese Proverb
No matter how hard or how far the fall, the grace of the Sacrament of Confession will always be enough to get you back on your feet and on the pathway of God’s will once again!
“God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had no difficulties to overcome. What matters is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them.” C.S. Lewis
