In today's first reading, Sirach 15: 15-20, I am/you are reminded that God "has set before [us] fire and water; [and] whichever [we] choose, [we are to] stretch forth [our hands]. Before [us] are life and death, good and evil, whichever [we choose] shall be given [us]..." God's wisdom, Sirach reminds us, is immense, his power mighty and His seeing infinite. "The eyes of God are on those who fear [reverence] him; [God] understands [our] every deed." [And] [n]o one does he command to act unjustly, to none does he give license to sin."
How awesome is God and how humble. He's given each one of us free will to choose life or death, good or evil. God knows that at times we will choose that which is evil and yet He does not stop us. That is how important our free will is to God. God wants us to freely choose what is right, what is just and what unites us in love with others. No way will God force us to do these things! When we choose evil, there are consequences to those choices. In suffering those consequences, hopefully, we turn from the evil back to the good. God waits in the background and, with open arms, welcomes us back into His arms to counsel us, advise us, forgive us and give us strength. Having learned from the poor choices we might have made, we, in turn, grow in wisdom and are equipped, even more, to continue doing good! If we fall--and Jesus fell many times on his way to Calvary--we, through grace, are empowered to pick ourselves up and start over again. And each new day gives us the opportunity to try again to remain faithful in choosing good over evil, life over death, just deeds over unjust deeds.
May we do so!
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