This was the view outside of my office when I arrived at work this morning. The first day of February finds us under a winter storm warning with eight to ten inches of snow likely across most of our county. Snowfall amounts will be greater in higher elevations. None of this is extraordinary in and of itself. It is seeing school buses operating in these conditions that still amazes me after living here for more than six years.
When I was principal in Missouri we would have canceled school today last night just based upon the forecast. In Wyoming the streets are already covered and the heavy snow is still on the way today, but that does not close the schools. It is fascinating to see the different mindset.
In our spiritual journey it can be the same. One person can view an act as extremely immoral and another shrugs it off as no big deal. There is a difference in perspective. However, we have been given some good guidelines to live the Christian life in Sacred Scripture and Church teaching. The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes serve as an excellent moral compass for us. Combine this with Church teaching and we have a pretty good idea of knowing right from wrong.
With that being said, have you noticed the amount of bickering that takes place about these teachings and understandings? I realize that there has always been dissent in the Church for that is how we have ended up with thousands of denominations instead of being one flock under one shepherd. However, it seems that objective truth is tossed out the window with more frequency and intensity in recent years. It appears that truth is simply what I say it is for myself and you can have whatever truth you want. That is a perilous journey for us as individuals and as a society.
Scrupulosity takes this dimension completely in the opposite direction. This is not a healthy frame of reference from which to work either. We need a well-formed conscience rooted in prayer and with sufficient knowledge of God's Sacred Word and the moral teachings of the Church. Then we are equipped to go out to all the world and share the Good News of salvation.
Ash Wednesday is only ten days away. How will you live the Lenten journey this season?
When I was principal in Missouri we would have canceled school today last night just based upon the forecast. In Wyoming the streets are already covered and the heavy snow is still on the way today, but that does not close the schools. It is fascinating to see the different mindset.
In our spiritual journey it can be the same. One person can view an act as extremely immoral and another shrugs it off as no big deal. There is a difference in perspective. However, we have been given some good guidelines to live the Christian life in Sacred Scripture and Church teaching. The Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes serve as an excellent moral compass for us. Combine this with Church teaching and we have a pretty good idea of knowing right from wrong.
With that being said, have you noticed the amount of bickering that takes place about these teachings and understandings? I realize that there has always been dissent in the Church for that is how we have ended up with thousands of denominations instead of being one flock under one shepherd. However, it seems that objective truth is tossed out the window with more frequency and intensity in recent years. It appears that truth is simply what I say it is for myself and you can have whatever truth you want. That is a perilous journey for us as individuals and as a society.
Scrupulosity takes this dimension completely in the opposite direction. This is not a healthy frame of reference from which to work either. We need a well-formed conscience rooted in prayer and with sufficient knowledge of God's Sacred Word and the moral teachings of the Church. Then we are equipped to go out to all the world and share the Good News of salvation.
Ash Wednesday is only ten days away. How will you live the Lenten journey this season?
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