something to reflect on

Some 5 years ago, I wrote a Lenten letter to my family and close friends and reading it again this time reminded me how ardent I was at sharing my thoughts about faith. Having lived in a few countries and met people with different faiths, I guess I've pulled back a little, or maybe a lot. Now I usually just say a prayer for someone, rather than me talking to him and explaining why we do the things we do. After all, I believe prayer is a very powerful thing (I guess I've said this one too many times but everything I ever prayed for fervently was granted, and even if it weren't the case, I'd still stand by what I said :D).

I'm posting an 'excerpt' of that letter (things I wrote and quoted from other books) - this is just me trying to remind myself what I wrote in there, but I hope they make sense to you too, or perhaps remind you of something you may have forgotten or make you realize something you may have overlooked. As I've said in a previous post, I'm not exactly a poster child for good behavior, and my living arrangement may have caused other people to judge me, but I hope you don't see it as me being preachy. I simply felt a use for it, mostly for my own reflection, but it'd be great if others find them helpful too. ;) Have a blessed Holy Week. :)

"It is easy to say, 'I believe'; but our works are the real proof of the strength of our faith. 'Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,' warns Jesus; 'but he who does the will of my Father in heaven shall enter the kingdom of heaven' (Matt 7:21)." - The Faith Explained, Leo J. Trese

"Examination of conscience. A daily task. Bookkeeping – never neglected by anyone in business. And is there any business worth more than that of eternal life?" - The Way, St Josemaria Escriva

There was a time when I confessed to a priest, who has also become my friend, that I didn’t really believe that someone who dies with mortal sin would be damned in hell, because I believe in the infinite mercy of God. And then he told me this: God didn’t create hell to punish the unrepentant sinners. How could someone so good and loving do such a thing? And it was at that moment when I realized how painful it must be for our Lord to see souls lose heaven and forever be damned. That is why He has given us all the necessary means to reach heaven, and so it’s just clear that it really is only through our own fault that we lose it.

Another thing I wish for everyone is that we do perfect contrition. What does this mean? There’s a difference between being sorry for our sins because we are scared of hell and being sorry for our sins because we really are sorrowful for having offended God. The former is imperfect, the latter, perfect. True sorrow for our sins is easily felt when we really love the person we have offended, and that’s how we should feel when we’ve sinned against our Lord.

"You're handed this precious gift, right? Each one of you granted redemption from the Creator - murderers, rapists, molesters - all of you just have to repent, and God takes you into His bosom. In all the worlds and all the universe, no other creature can make such a boast, save man." - Gabriel in the movie Constantine

PS: Have a great Easter too! Something to look forward to next Sunday... :)