NO GOD BUT ME

“I am the LORD your God. You shall not have other gods beside me.
You shall honor your parents. 
You shall not kill, . . . commit adultery, . . . steal, . . . bear false witness or. . . .covet” what belongs to another. Exodus 20:2-3

This First Reading of the Third Sunday of Lent is meant more to give us an opportunity to examine and re-align our hearts to our beliefs than it is a time to feel guilt for past or present failings.
Yes, we want to be able to trust that we and those around us are living according to these Commandments. That would make the world more of what we pray for in the Our Father:
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done.
On earth as it is in heaven.

Deep within we long for this, but sometimes when we are tired, frustrated, depressed, we become vulnerable and we let ourselves be lured toward those “strange gods”.  That is why each weekend, we gather and begin our prayer by acknowledging to God and to each other that we have strayed during the past week.  We ask God and each other for forgiveness.  We receive it; we celebrate God’s mercy and love for each of us, all of us. And when we leave St. Michael’s Church, we commit to carry this love and mercy into our cars, our homes, our stores, our workplaces and schools – wherever we go:  this God, our God, is the Lord of our hearts. There is no God for us beside Him.

Sister Loretta