Retreat, Day 2 - 5:15 PM "We are God's"

Notes from the preached meditation on Friday 11/15/2008 at 5:15 PM...

We are God's... and God is within us. Hence the need to confront sin and lukewarmness which divide us from God.

Lukewarmness - lack of warmth and ardor for god - vomit (Revelation). Indifference to God will lead us to sin.

Mortal sin - the doorway to Hell - the crucifixion of Christ. Christ bore the weight of all mortal sign during the Passion - including mine. Do not let so much as 24 hours go by with mortal sin separating you from God.

Venial sin - accidental venial sin is unavoidable in this world. Semi-deliberate: we have made a purpose of amendment or plan of prayer, and now we are too lazy or lukewarm to follow through. Deliberate: we push God off into a corner of our life.

No amount of deliberate venial sin adds up to one single mortal sin. But continued deliberate habitual venial sin leaves the door open and eventually we will fall into mortal sin.

We have to help the ones we care about in their struggles with sin - otherwise we don't love them - as if we saw them fall into a well, and didn't help them climb out.