707AFC021607
3rd Installment
THE 7 R’s
Recognition: When I recognize that I am a sinner, I become aware that I can commit and have committed sin. I acknowledge in some definite way that I have made a choice to willingly and knowingly perform an act that is contrary to God’s law. Once I recognize my sin I can choose to ignore it or to renounce it. If I acknowledge that I am a sinner who has sinned, I can also describe the evidence and effect of my sin.
Remorse: When I consider God’s goodness to me and contrast that with my failure to respond accordingly, I can choose to ignore my sense of guilt or I can choose to acknowledge the grief I feel for my past wrongs. When this remorse is sincere and effective, I feel genuine sorrow for my shortcomings; I feel contrite and am humbled by my weakness.
Repentance: To repent is to change my perception of my actions. I make a conscious decision to turn from sin and dedicate myself to the amendment of my life. The underlying intent should be that the change for the better will be a permanent change. I make a firm decision to avoid sin and to resist the desire to be tempted. He completely forgives – and more importantly, completely forgets – my sin.
Reconciliation: Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation I can seek to restore the compatibility between me and God. I can restore my capability to live in harmony with God as well as with whomever I have wronged by my choice to commit sin. My ability as well as my willingness to seek and accept God’s forgiveness is restored.
Restitution: Part of my obligation as a servant of God is to make compensation for the wrong I have done. I am accountable to God for the way my actions affect the lives, and perhaps even the souls, of my family or my community. Sometime this compensation is a form of penance that is an act of devotion — praying certain prayers prescribed my confessor — or I am directed by the priest to restore an equivalent for what I have wrongfully taken, to make amends for some injustice that is physical or spiritual. In either case the objective is to cause restoration of a previous state.
Renewal: When I acknowledge my sins and repent, confess my sins and do penance, resolve to avoid sin and to resist the desire to be tempted and to seek and to accept God’s forgiveness, I experience a restoration of the state of Grace God intended for me when He created me. I am spiritually reborn, converted for a sin-stained soul and reconformed to the image of God. I am radically changed and able to recognize, accept, and make use of the graces God has given me. I am made new again.
Rejoicing: My restoration to harmony with God and with humanity has the effect of generating inexpressible joy and unsurpassable peace. My ability to obey Christ’s Law of Love allows me to remain in His love. It also allows His Love to remain in me. Jesus Himself told us this so that His Joy would be in us and that our Joy will be complete (see John 15:10-12)*. I feel delight because God has not only shown me what my heart desires; He has also satisfied that desire beyond my expectations, beyond even my ability to comprehend. The Psalmist found delight in the Law of the LORD. My delight — our delight — is in the fulfillment of that Law through the salvific Grace given to us in Jesus. As St Paul said in Romans 5, 10-11*: “Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
*New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC.
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The News
Tim is still in Portland installing Dish TV stations at last report. He is making good progress and sounds much more refreshed and confidant.
Maria got unfortunate news from her manager at Taco Bell. Despite Maria informing her about her learning disabilities, the manager decided not to retain her because she hadn’t met her expectation during the first two weeks of work. SpEd’s don’t always catch the good breaks.
Crucita is all set for Taxes except for the part about writing the check. She is looking forward to Lent, as am I, and generally pretty happy about everything.
I’m finishing up the pre-survey studies for JCAHO and wrangling with them about their policy about showing up unannounced. Pretty hard to pull that off efficaciously in Hawaii when you have 4 sites on three island to inspect. Can’t just hop in the car and drive over to Kahului or Honolulu.
We’re planning on SLEEPING on Presidents Day holiday — being OLD can have SOME perks! Hope you enjoy the long weekend. I’ll be heading off for Guam soon — maybe. More on that later.
* For non-Catholics, this is the same as confessing to God that you’ve sinned and confronting the person(s) wronged so you can ask their forgiveness.
That’s all for now! Aloha nui loa ka kou. Mea ke aloha ia `oi.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
chick
707AFC021607
3rd Installment
THE 7 R’s
Recognition: When I recognize that I am a sinner, I become aware that I can commit and have committed sin. I acknowledge in some definite way that I have made a choice to willingly and knowingly perform an act that is contrary to God’s law. Once I recognize my sin I can choose to ignore it or to renounce it. If I acknowledge that I am a sinner who has sinned, I can also describe the evidence and effect of my sin.
Remorse: When I consider God’s goodness to me and contrast that with my failure to respond accordingly, I can choose to ignore my sense of guilt or I can choose to acknowledge the grief I feel for my past wrongs. When this remorse is sincere and effective, I feel genuine sorrow for my shortcomings; I feel contrite and am humbled by my weakness.
Repentance: To repent is to change my perception of my actions. I make a conscious decision to turn from sin and dedicate myself to the amendment of my life. The underlying intent should be that the change for the better will be a permanent change. I make a firm decision to avoid sin and to resist the desire to be tempted. He completely forgives – and more importantly, completely forgets – my sin.
Reconciliation: Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation I can seek to restore the compatibility between me and God. I can restore my capability to live in harmony with God as well as with whomever I have wronged by my choice to commit sin. My ability as well as my willingness to seek and accept God’s forgiveness is restored.
Restitution: Part of my obligation as a servant of God is to make compensation for the wrong I have done. I am accountable to God for the way my actions affect the lives, and perhaps even the souls, of my family or my community. Sometime this compensation is a form of penance that is an act of devotion — praying certain prayers prescribed my confessor — or I am directed by the priest to restore an equivalent for what I have wrongfully taken, to make amends for some injustice that is physical or spiritual. In either case the objective is to cause restoration of a previous state.
Renewal: When I acknowledge my sins and repent, confess my sins and do penance, resolve to avoid sin and to resist the desire to be tempted and to seek and to accept God’s forgiveness, I experience a restoration of the state of Grace God intended for me when He created me. I am spiritually reborn, converted for a sin-stained soul and reconformed to the image of God. I am radically changed and able to recognize, accept, and make use of the graces God has given me. I am made new again.
Rejoicing: My restoration to harmony with God and with humanity has the effect of generating inexpressible joy and unsurpassable peace. My ability to obey Christ’s Law of Love allows me to remain in His love. It also allows His Love to remain in me. Jesus Himself told us this so that His Joy would be in us and that our Joy will be complete (see John 15:10-12)*. I feel delight because God has not only shown me what my heart desires; He has also satisfied that desire beyond my expectations, beyond even my ability to comprehend. The Psalmist found delight in the Law of the LORD. My delight — our delight — is in the fulfillment of that Law through the salvific Grace given to us in Jesus. As St Paul said in Romans 5, 10-11*: “Indeed, if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11. Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
*New American Bible Copyright © 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC.
======= = = = = = = = ======= = = = = = = = =======
The News
Tim is still in Portland installing Dish TV stations at last report. He is making good progress and sounds much more refreshed and confidant.
Maria got unfortunate news from her manager at Taco Bell. Despite Maria informing her about her learning disabilities, the manager decided not to retain her because she hadn’t met her expectation during the first two weeks of work. SpEd’s don’t always catch the good breaks.
Crucita is all set for Taxes except for the part about writing the check. She is looking forward to Lent, as am I, and generally pretty happy about everything.
I’m finishing up the pre-survey studies for JCAHO and wrangling with them about their policy about showing up unannounced. Pretty hard to pull that off efficaciously in Hawaii when you have 4 sites on three island to inspect. Can’t just hop in the car and drive over to Kahului or Honolulu.
We’re planning on SLEEPING on Presidents Day holiday — being OLD can have SOME perks! Hope you enjoy the long weekend. I’ll be heading off for Guam soon — maybe. More on that later.
* For non-Catholics, this is the same as confessing to God that you’ve sinned and confronting the person(s) wronged so you can ask their forgiveness.
That’s all for now! Aloha nui loa ka kou. Mea ke aloha ia `oi.
Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service.
chick
About Chick Todd
American Roman Catholic reared as a "Baptiterian" in Denver Colorado. Now living on Kauaʻi. USAF Vet. Married for over 50 years. Scripture study has been my passion ever since my first "Bible talk" at age 6 in VBS.
