Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The "Dump"

We have special junk removal trucks up here in New England because most people have waaaaay too much junk. The business must be doing pretty well because I see their trucks everywhere. You pay the guys to remove your junk and then they either bring it to a dump/recycling center or they sell it to someone else so that the other person has your junk too. When they decide to get rid of it they then pass your junk along with some of their own junk to the next person. Soon, a number of people  have some of your "junk" along with their own and that of others.

Sin is like this. If sin is not stopped in its tracks through repentance and reconciliation with God it spreads like a disease infecting those around us. We can see manifestations of this infection throughout our country and world today. It didn't happen overnight and we are all responsible because we all fall short.  And with God's grace we have to repair the mess we've made - this is made possible through Christ who obtained every sort of grace and blessing for us by His life, death, and resurrection. Reparation is an important aspect of our lives here on earth.

I know I've written about this before but I want to share it once again in a bit more detail.
Years ago I had a dream. Someone led me to the edge of a high cliff and told me to look down. When I did I was stricken to the core by what I saw: there below me was what looked like an enormous dump, but instead of trash it was filled with the sins of humanity. Looking down into this dump I could see  drugs, needles, pornography, TV's, condoms, the Pill, books, weapons, and the list goes on and on. All the things we misuse were there. Our sins stretched as far as the eye could see. I don't know how to explain it but I also saw sins like rape and murder in this pile.  What really, really got to me was that strewn amongst the filth of our sins there were thousands and thousands of tiny little dead babies and even body parts. Someone was holding my hand and as I looked down into the pile I shook my head and said, "No hope. No hope."

But hope was holding my hand. I felt the strength of that hand despite the shaking of my head  and my words as I looked into this cesspool of vice. The Lord was simply showing me in a very clear manner just how far we've fallen today. We are even leading children away from Him through our refusal to correct our lives.

This dream was so vivid that I've never forgotten it. Who could?

It's time to turn back to the Lord. We have strayed far beyond what may be termed "human weakness".  Yes, we have natures prone to sin but we can't simply sit on the fence and watch as our brothers and sisters fall all around us. It's our job to help them up.

We cannot be like Cain and say, "Am I my brother's keeper?"  We have been given the responsibility of lifting others up through our prayer, words, and actions. Each of us has a mission here on earth and bringing others to the Lord is part of this mission. He gives us the grace to accomplish our missions if we trust in Him. Abundant grace. More than we can even imagine.

I came across a beautiful prayer in my Magnificat this month:

O God of mercy and compassion, all our guilt lies open to you, all our secret sins are known to you, all our ugly ways are clear before you, yet you never cease to offer us your redeeming love. Have mercy on us in our pitiful attempts to cloak our sinfulness with false bravado, and grant us the joy that comes with full repentance, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

God sees all things as they are. In His mercy He reveals our sinfulness to us slowly over a period of time (though not always) so we won't feel overwhelmed.  However, when we die our entire lives are laid bare before us all at once. There is no gentle lifting of the veil. We will see everything we have ever done (or left undone), thought, or said, in the clear light of truth Himself.

Are we ready for this?






8 comments:

  1. Straight forward talking, Mary, as ever.

    I agree sin has gone too far. The devil is free to roam and cause destruction everywhere.

    But within limits.

    God has limited his powers and the time he is allowed to get his way.

    In the meantime, as you say, we should do our bit to lead others back to God. Through our example, through prayers, through actions and also by Blogging our message to whoever out there is reading it.

    God will make sure our message is read by those who need it.

    May He bless you and yours always.

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  2. Hi Victor,
    Yes, I have a tendency toward bluntness when it comes to spiritual matters :) Some things just can't be "prettied up" and sin is one of them. I wouldn't be doing anyone any favors if I tried to do so and maybe would even harm people if I backed away from the truth on my blog so I try not to do this.

    I am quite gentle in person though...lol.

    Thanks for the great comment. God bless you, too.

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  3. Mary,
    This morning after Mass, one of the 7am regulars showed me this little prayer card he keeps with him. It is actually one he made up himself. The card holds the names of all the regulars at the 7am Mass and ends with a prayer for God's blessing upon us and all those he knows, doesn't know, has met and has not met~in essence this prayer prays for everyone. He simply said after showing me the card: "We have to pray for people." Your dream and this post explain why and to what extent. As you said, we are our brother's keeper.

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  4. Mary,

    I was not criticising your straight-talking. I was admiring it.

    God bless.

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  5. Hi Karin,
    That's beautiful! I think it's important that we pray for everyone right now.

    Have you heard of Marino Restrepo? I'm posting his testimony on here (shortly) and WOW what a story he has to tell!

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  6. Hi Victor,
    I know you weren't. Just thought I'd explain why I speak so bluntly on my blog at times. I smiled at your comment though - it was kind of you to reassure me :)

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  7. Mary, I can identify with your dream and your comments about sin. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed with the sense of sin in this world - so much so that it is hard to breathe. Then I think of Our Lady of Fatima who urged us to pray for sinners and I recite the "O my Jesus, forgive us our sins..." Fatima prayer over and over. The Morning Offering is such an important prayer because it helps us sanctify our day and one of my intentions is always "the conversion of sinners."

    If it's any consolation, a holy contemplative Benedictine once told me that as small a number as five people giving themselves to God can save many souls and overcome grave sins of the world. It fits with the story of Abraham bargaining with God over Sodom - if even 10 righteous men are there, God will spare the city. Of course there weren't and we know what happened.

    I love your straightforward writing. Keep it up.

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  8. Great post Mary. I learn so much when you share your dreams with us.

    And by the way, your blog is an excellent example of a way to help lead people away from that sin-pile!

    God Bless you!

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