Food for the soul: Cut it off

September 26, 2021

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Today is another Sunday full of blessings to all of us. Not just life but also graces and goodness with a lot of gifts. That even with all our sinfulness and lapses the Lord continue to shower us with graces. That even with a lot of ups and down, and different struggles we face still we able to win and survive because we have God with us who fight for us and be with us always. Thus with all these we should never forget to give thanks and have a grateful heart which never forget to pray. Today, another gospel we must hear for us to feed our soul and deepen our relationship with the Lord. Come on let's read.

Holy Gospel

Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48

John said to him, 'Master, we saw someone who is not one of us driving out devils in your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.' But Jesus said, 'You must not stop him; no one who works a miracle in my name could soon afterwards speak evil of me. Anyone who is not against us is for us.

'If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, then in truth I tell you, he will most certainly not lose his reward.'But anyone who is the downfall of one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone hung round his neck. And if your hand should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that can never be put out. And if your foot should be your downfall, cut it off; it is better for you enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should be your downfall, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm will never die nor their fire be put out.

Source

Reflection

Today's gospel the Lord reminded us of the things that makes us unholy and keep us away from holiness and from him. He emphasizes that if ever there are things that makes us sinful we need to cut it of than suffer the consequences forever. If it is part of your body, your eyes for example then it is better to be one eyed in heaven than suffer from our sins. But brothers and sisters I wanted to tell you that this gospel today is not literal from its meaning. The hands, the feet, and the eyes does that needed to be cut off does not really mean they really are the ones to be cut off. It has deeper meaning behind those.

What does needed to be cut off?

Our sinful acts that makes the eyes, the hands and the feet consumed and a way from God.

The bad habits that are the acts that is continuous and never had the courage to cut off thus stopping is very difficult. Bad habits are considered sinful and would full under sinful act. These things are the things that we do that we are already aware it's not good but then choose to do it. These are few of the following; gossiping, stealing, hatred, anger, killing, accusing, neglectful behavior,Procrastination, Gluttony, Cursing, Smoking, drinking alcohol, pride, greed, wrath, envy and lust.

I don't need to eloborate each one of them because I know you knew what are those things. And I don't want to discuss the meaning of those but putting it in one simple idea that all of them are the things that makes us sin. And these is what makes our body physical and spiritual be consumed thus cutting it off, is the best decision. These are the ones that should be cut off for us to be save and would not be thrown to the unending suffering from fire that cannot be put out. These is what the gospel had emphasize. These and lot more. Friendship that leads you away from God, needs to be cut off. Relationship that draws you away from god, needs to be cut off. Anything that is fulfilling in this world but without God's presence needs to be cut off in order to receive the kingdom of God. It is okay to never enjoy those things here in this world than enjoying it but suffered from the fire that would no be put out. There is no turning back when you are in the midst of that fire that is why as early as today make your decision to cut them off.

I know it will be hard but with God in our heart and the center of our life we can do it.

I know it will never that easy to cut off and be gone in just a snap of the finger but slowly and patiently I know we can do it.

I know it needs sacrifices but I believe it will always be worth it.

Brothers and sisters we are all needed to cut off something that keeps us away from God but let us start with these few things to slowly get away from those sinful acts.

• Accepting God in our life

  Renewing ourselves would always start from within, I mean spiritually. This always involve, accepting Jesus as the son of God and God himself in our life in order for us to become a new person because is the only one who can makes us anew. Do you accept Jesus and God himself?

• Acknowledging our sins

  In order to ask forgiveness we must acknowledge our sins and accept that we have sinned through it. Do you acknowledge your sin?

• Asking forgiveness to God and to the people that we've sinned

  It is very important to asked forgiveness to the people that we wrong and especially to God. In order for us to find forgiveness as well to ourselves. To continue to live and renew ourselves we need to ask forgiveness to God and to the people around us in order to have peace of mind.

• Forgiving ourselves

  It is important to forgive ourselves as well in order to accept the new selves that we are making. In this way we are accepting our flaws and giving ourselves a chance to begin.

• Praying

  Ask God his intercession in our life. To give us strength to overcome all the sinfulness that we become. And to make ourselves a new one through him.

Believe that everything we need to cut off is for our own good and to live the life of holiness. That even without reaching heaven yet we could feel the heaven in this life. The life full of happiness, the life without envious, greed, pride, wrath and lust. The life that is living with the Lord God that is the life we need and nothing more.

Are you willing to cut off the things that makes you sin?

Thanks for reading and God bless everyone.

Thanks for all my sponsors and friends. I appreciate you all. As always, I love you.