2/24/11 DON'T LOSE YOUR SALTINESS AS A CHRISTIAN

2/24/11 cblog DON'T LOSE YOUR SALTINESS AS A CHRISTIAN, dominic 6p, m: " .. trying to gather some of the moral teachings of Jesus..later..this is the .one line ..salt..what will restore flavor..george packard(?)...salt was used to flavor the sacrifice..here Jesus is talking to disiciples..if loses flavor..good for nothing..in matt and luke gospel writer tends to exagg..then analogy re manure used to fertilize..he is clear...at least manure has value..if disciples lose salt..they r good for nothing, worse than manure ..is that our nice little Jesus talking ? Very clear..if u want to follw me this is what it takes..[message fr fr dennis] ..good eve..humbled honored..I'm a novice..tell story of my ..from alab to calif ..5 novices here..journey desired by desire in soul..as psalm says ..hunger in me..thirst directed at god..how long I wondered..in midst of bible belt, cath culture..I had a new age conception...fasting prayer, discpline..explored eastern mystics..ended up at annapolis ..submarine..then pearl harbor..surfing wind surfing..able to study..but still desired more..sister became nun..sisters of cherokee..ascetic life..mother theresa powerful profound..quenching thirst of poor..of poors of christian souls..message resonated more than mystics of east..followed lead..helping sisters & my sister..slow discovery of my poverty..the self-absorbed life..salt losing taste..cut off fr god's love..learned re catholic faith bc I was a cradle catholic thought I knew it all already...found out how little I knew. ..how thorougly...who would have thought..homeless. those dying of aids..discover god..my own faith still young..my life changed into ministry while still in navy..long undersea voyages..time to journal pray read..god called me to be a priest..for first time I took god's call seriously..resigned commission in navy..7 years..took me around the world..led to dominicans..insatiable desire..continue to be please pray as we cont formation.."

1 Sir 5:1-8 Rely not on your wealth; say not: “I have the power.” Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart. Say not: “Who can prevail against me?” or, “Who will subdue me for my deeds?” for God will surely exact the punishment Say not: “I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?” for the Most High bides his time Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. Say not: “Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive.” For mercy and anger alike are with him; upon the wicked alights his wrath. Delay not your conversion to the LORD, put it not off from day to day For suddenly his wrath flames forth; at the time of vengeance you will be destroyed. Rely not upon deceitful wrath, for it will be no help on the day of wrath. R. (40:5a) Blessed are

y are like chaff which the wind drives away. For the LORD watches over the way of the just but the way of the wicked vanishes R. Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Mark 9.41-50 ; Jesus said to his disciples“Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut if off It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.