Cranes on Our Monastery Lawn 5/05

Sand Hill Crane May 15, 2005

May 19, 2005

Wisdom Readings Sir 5:1-8

Rely not on your wealth; say not: "I have the power." Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart. Say not: "Who can prevail against me?" or, "Who will subdue me for my deeds?" for God will surely exact the punishment. Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?" for the Most High bides his time.
Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. Say not: "Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive." For mercy and anger alike are with him; upon the wicked alights his wrath. Delay not your conversion to the LORD, put it not off from day to day. For suddenly his wrath flames forth; at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed. Rely not upon deceitful wrath, for it will be no help on the day of wrath.
The time for conversion is now. Prefer nothing to the love of Christ. This Reading from Sirach, the Wisdom Book, warns of the many ways that I can fool myself. It is human nature to put off doing things, but conversion to God is not something that can be put aside. Overconfidence, reliance on the mercy of God without putting my all into God's hands are traps that lead away from salvation. "Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart" I need to rely on God first and the other things will fall into whereever they belong after that movement of conversion which needs to occur daily. Every day I reconsecrate my life to God to do God's will first.

The Holy Rule of Our Holy Father St Benedict has a Bible Based Plan for Conversion:
Chapter 4: What Are the Instruments of Good Works
In the first place, to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength.
Then, one's neighbor as oneself.
Then not to murder.
Not to commit adultery.
Not to steal.
Not to covet.
Not to bear false witness.
To honor all (1 Peter 2:17).
And not to do to another what one would not have done to oneself.
To deny oneself in order to follow Christ.
To chastise the body.
Not to become attached to pleasures.
To love fasting.
To relieve the poor.
To clothe the naked.
To visit the sick.
To bury the dead.
To help in trouble.
To console the sorrowing.
To become a stranger to the world's ways.
To prefer nothing to the love of Christ.