JOURNAL=LINGERING SINS

3-6-17=JOURNAL/
LINGERING SINS


“You shall NOT defraud or rob-
Your NEIGHBOR-
You shall not WITHHOLD the
Overnight wages of your laborer” Leviticus 19:13


There are ALL KINDS of sins-
In this world


Do we notice or IGNORE?-
Or better yet-
FORGIVE others their faults?


How about our own?
Do we HOLD others to to theirs-
But FORGIVE our own sins?


In the 12^th century-
There was a man -
By the name of Aswego-


Aswego was SENTENCED
To go on a PILGRIMAGE
To the HOLY LAND


His sin was=
That he gave FALSE MONEY
To the POOR on his wedding day


How about you?
What are your sins?


BETTER yet=do you LOVE OTHERS?
Do you FORGIVE others 70 x 7?


Have a BLESSED DAY my friends-
There-but for the GRACE OF GOD-GO I
LOVE YOU ALL! Rpw 3-7-17












LINGERING SINS---12 YEARS AGO




12 years ago
Were you 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 given 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
3-6-17




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