Three apprentice devils were preparing to come to the earth to finish their apprenticeship. Satan, the Prince of Darkness, appeared before them and questioned them about their plans to tempt and ruin people. The first said, “I will tell them that there is no God.” Satan answered, “You will deceive only a few that way because deep down people sense that there must be a God.” The second apprentice spoke, “I will tell the people that there is no hell.” “You will fool only a few that way,” replied Satan, “because deep down people know that one day they will have to answer for their misdeeds.” Finally, the third apprentice declared, “I will tell people that there is no hurry.” With that, Satan laughed with delight. “Yes, with that you will ruin them by the millions.”
As we celebrate Lent this year, let us remember that procrastination in doing what is right can be an obstacle to true spiritual growth! This is the time to really make a “new year’s” resolution…as we look into ourselves prayerfully and discover the truth within our hearts. What keeps me away from my God? Over what stones do I stumble on my way to holiness? Could it be the stone of “I am too busy to pray”? or the stone of “I don’t like him/her because…”? Could I be tripping over the stone of indifference to another’s pain or loneliness or need? Am I burdened by the stone of unforgiveness, or personal comfort or selfishness? Whatever the stone may be, Lent gives us the chance to consciously work at being better people. As individuals, each of us may want to pick up a stone to represent what we want to change in our life this Lent. Put that stone in a special place, a place where you will see it often. Each time you see the stone, say a prayer asking God for the grace to be strong in your efforts to overcome whatever it is that might be keeping you from being the best you can be. Lent is NOT just a time for giving up….it is a time for GIVING, giving in, giving to, giving for, for-giving. It is a time to be drawn into the holiness of God, a time to overcome the obstacles in our journey toward personal holiness. AND each of us is called to be holy! Satan may try to tell is there is no hurry—but we know that “sooner” is always better than “too late”!
Written by: Sr. Marie Paul Grech S.N.D.
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