Shade Tree Wisdom 4/13/11

Nice and cool for the walk this morning, and I beat the Snorting yellow box before it picked up its precious cargo. The morning air was sweetened by birds singing, and then shattered by an unhappy yipping dog in the back yard over there. Well, one survives.

The story is that on April first some pranksters released several goats in the school halls. They had numbered them by painting one, two, four on their sides. Custodial staff was alerted and quickly corralled three of the goats. Administration and staff spent most of the day trying to find number 4 when it finally dawned on them what day it was.

The story reminded me of the reason for such a season as Lent when we use it as a penitential season, seeking and finding corners of our daily life we have gotten used to and shouldn’t, because they hide a sin.

For too many in our culture take much for granted, and among their life goals is seeking to restate what God teaches, and trying to “explain” the suffering, death, and resurrection as not really necessary because they aren’t in such dire need at all.

They are chasing the missing goat, really, for what they think they are owed for a ‘good’ life really doesn’t exist, for “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption of Christ Jesus.”

The truth is, we need the price Jesus paid for our sins. Indeed, Christ Jesus is “The propitiation for our sins, but not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world”, as St. John writes in his letter.

May God bless this time for your enrichment and Christian growth.

GPD 4/13/11