Falling Down, Falling Upward and Getting Up

In today’s first reading, Exodus 32: 15-24, 30-34, Moses catches the people violating the covenant!  Seeing them worshiping a golden calf, Moses’ anger flared up, so that he threw the tablets down and broke them…” Aaron stands by the people, saying to Moses: “Let not my lord be angry. You know well enough how prone the people are to evil.”  He then goes on to explain how he himself got into the predicament in which he found himself.

All of us have a “Moses,” an “Aaron, and the likes of the Chosen People within us.  Each of us is prone to evil and may register shock—be scandalized—when we encounter sin within ourselves or others.  Each of us, from time to time during our lifetime, will find ourselves in predicaments that lead us into sinful behaviors--we fall and wonder how we got there.  There are no exceptions, though  persons may perceive themselves exempt as they point fingers at others. 

The Lord is a merciful God, slow to anger and quick to kindness.   Through His forgiveness, His kindness and our own, we fall "upward" into grace.  At a workshop a few years ago, the featured speaker presented us with the following guidelines for living life fully:

 

1. Sit in the front row of your life--get involved, participate.  First,  depend on yourself and not on others; then collaborate, negotiate!

2. If you make a mistake, say "How fascinating!"  What can I learn here? What opportunity is this affording me?

3. Stop the voices in your head. Say to them:  "Thank you for showing up; I'm busy"  and follow your dreams of making a difference, contributing.  What do you want to make happen and go for it!

4. Live in the current/wind/fire of radiating possibilities.  Connect with others in this way, not by focusing on what's wrong, not by criticizing the other person, life, events, etc.

The Rythm of Falling and Rising

In today’s first reading, 2 Cor 11:1-11, Paul states that he “betrothed…[the Corinthians] to one husband to present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But, [he says,] I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts may be corrupted from a sincere and pure commitment to Christ.” 

In my meditation this morning I was bemoaning my infidelity to the Lord in small things: not being totally honest, giving in to gossip from time to time or at times exaggerating a point to make a point,  to be noticed or presumably to be accepted; giving in to pride or whatever. 

The Lord then let me know who He is in my life. “Dorothy Ann, I, not Paul betrothed you as a chaste virgin to Christ. I am not afraid, as Paul was, that Satan, the Father of Lies, the Great Deceiver, will corrupt you.  I am your Redeemer. I live in you to protect you from Satan’s deceitful ways.  Will you fall from time to time? Yes! That is sin in you.  Will you rise after a fall? Yes! That is grace in you.  Your honesty with me in prayer is a grace that purifies you every time you come to me in prayer, in the Eucharist and in the sacrament of reconciliation.”

Who is God for you?  What do you do when you are discouraged after a fall?