For the Love of Us All

WITNESS

5-21-13

LINGERING SINS---12 YEARS AGO

12 years ago

Were your carrying

The same stupid sins

That you are carrying today

I know that I am

The sin of pride

The sin of gossip

The sin of an addiction

Maybe just the sin of

Not wanting the best

For our family and friends

Oh I know

We are living respectable lives

We are going to work each day

Taking care of family

Maybe even belonging

To a church organization or two

In the Xth chapter of Saint Matthew Gospel

There is a little known parable

A Canaanite woman comes to Jesus---crying out,

“Lord Son of David

Have mercy on me

My daughter is suffering terribly

From demon possession”

Jesus did not answer her

The disciples came to Jesus

And asked him to heal her

For she would not go away

Jesus says,

“I was sent

To heal only the lost sheep of Israel”

Finally this woman who won’t give up

And is persistent in her prayer

Comes to Jesus---kneels before him---and says,

“Lord help me”

Jesus responds,

“It is not right to take

The children’s bread

And toss it to the dogs”

The woman says,

“Yes Lord

But even the dogs eat the crumbs

That fall from their Master’s table”

Finally Jesus gives in and says,

“Woman you have great faith

Your request is granted

And her daughter was healed

From that very hour”

How about us

Do we have the faith and persistence

Of this Canaanite woman

To keep asking God and Jesus

For help

I believe that if we do

If we keep fighting the good fight

We will eventually get our own answer

So I ask you

I ask myself

Are your sins today

The same

As what they were

12 years ago

The same

As what they have been

Your entire life

For we know

That we are either getting better

Or worse

For nothing stays the same

We know

That if we stay persistent in prayer

Strong in our faith

Keep asking for forgiveness---keep asking for healing

We too will get an answer

We too will experience a healing

We too will hear those lovely words

“YOUR FAITH HAS SAVED YOU
YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN”

Robert P. Wallman

5-4-11

• Inspired by the teaching of Father Leo Clifford---OFM

Ps       WITNESS         5-21-13

“Do not love the world or anything in the world

If anyone loves the world-the love of the FATHER is not in him

For everything in the world-the cravings of SINFUL MAN

The lust of his eyes-and the boasting of what he has and does-

Comes not from the Father but from the world-

The world and its desire pass away-but the man who does

The will of God LIVES forever”

1 John 2:15-17