Who raged when Christ was hauled away to be crucified, a monstrous death for an innocent man? Who fought back against it, against the injustice?
It was Peter with his sword, and it was Christ who disarmed him. Not only did Christ disarm Peter, but he went further and healed the man Peter attacked. Uncomprehending, the apostles scattered, and Jesus was led away in chains.
As long as Christians think with the logic of the world and not the theo-logic of God, we too will be uncomprehending. We too will raise the sword in defense of our rights. And we too will miss the point the Crucified One died showing us.
I lead a retreat for middle school students and formulated a way to do an examination of conscience based upon the Beatitudes. One of the things that I try to do here at LayEvangelist.com is to renew moral theology. What better way to stand on the ground of the Beatitudes in a truly Christian morality than to prepare the soul for Confession.
THE BEATITUDES EXAMEN
1. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Does my desire for poverty of spirit match my lifestyle?
When I pray, do I only ask God for things, instead of for a closer relationship with Him?
Do I contribute my time, talent and money to the poor of the world? Or to myself?
Developing a prayer life that is personal, intimate, and powerful takes time and attention. In fact, anything worth having in this world takes time and attention. Like a farmer approaching new, wild land, the soil of our hearts and minds must be cultivated for prayer to bear fruit.
There is a lot of effort on the farmers part to prepare for growth. The rocks must be removed. The trees felled, and roots burnt up. The soil must be tilled, broken, and irrigated. Fertilizer needs to be spread, pests fought, and then the seeds are sown.