Chose

 

The Spiritual Waiting Room

Chose

God's      Wisdom

Observe     Trust     Discern

Walk In The Law

Fulfill

(photo and poem by Kathy McNamara)

Scriptures:   Sirach 15: 15 to 17

If you make the right choice, you can follow the commandments.

They will heal you.

If you put your trust in God, you will be fully alive.

God has placed before you fire and water; whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.

Before all of us are the paths of life and of death, of good and evil.

Whichever you choose, that is what will be given to you.

Psalm 119: 1 and 2

Happy are they whose way is without blame,

who walk in the law of the Lord.

Happy are they who follow all the decrees of God, those who seek God with their whole heart.

Matthew 5: 17

Jesus said, "Do not believe that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets.

I have come not to destroy but to fulfill."

Reflection

We have choices to make!

Did you ever reflect on some of the choices you have made and the consequences of those choices?

Sometimes we find it difficult to make choices. We don't know the right path to choose. We have all discovered that there is not just black and white in life but also a ton of grey.

Sirach advises us to choose life and the good. As we try to do that, we have help. God has given us the commandments. We have guidance. Our consciences can be formed to discern the best path to follow.

The key in that process is found in the Book of Psalms. We have to follow God with "our whole heart". When we do that, we are showing our love for God and we are putting God first in our choices.

Jesus puts that very directly in Matthew. He has come not to destroy the law that was given through Moses but to fulfill that law.

We know that the choices we make can lead to a real difference. We can reach out to others who might need someone to listen to them about challenges they are facing. That simple act of love and caring might lead to healing.

Kathy's photo points to a choice that can make a big difference in our lives: the choice to be baptized and to give our lives to Jesus.

The path of life.

The path of death.

We have a choice!

1. Can you think of a choice that you made that changed your life?

2. How do the commandments help you when you are having difficulty making a choice?

3. What does it mean to follow God with your "whole heart"?

4. What do you see when you reflect on Kathy's photo?