I remember a conversation with a very holy, wonderful priest in Huntsville, Alabama years ago who used to wear a pull over sweater most of the time. He felt that it made him more approachable. I told him if I were laying there dying I would want to look up to see a roman collar. He always wore his collar after that.
You have spoken the truth Padraig. We need this clarity of truth now more than ever. It is sobering and the only thing that upholds me is keeping my heart on the era of peace. This is it. If we look back like the Israelites did comming out of bondage, we will have their same fate of dying in the desert of confusion. We should cherish our holy and fond memories and know even better memories are in our future if we stay the faith.
I was reading this morning and it seems God does indeed tempt us at times according to his designs. I was mistaken to say that he never does this. Genesis 22 After these things, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am. [2] He said to him: Take thy only begotten son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and go into the land of vision: and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee. [1] "God tempted": God tempteth no man to evil, James 1. 13; but by trial and experiment maketh known to the world, and to ourselves, what we are, as here by this trial the singular faith and obedience of Abraham was made manifest.
In reflection on this it seems that the changes that Pope Francis proposes to the Lord's Prayer take the responsibility for our wrongs off of us and place them instead on God for "abandoning" us.
