Week 2 - Any Improvements?

Catholic Renewal

Last week we assessed the state of faith, as it is right now.  You may be doing great with your faith, or it may be time for a little improvement.  A spiritual tune up.  So where is a good place to begin?
Take a look at the answers to last weeks questions,  you may also want to review the 10 commandments.

It is written: “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.”

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.⁷²

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work.⁹⁰

Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the Lord your God gives you.⁴

You shall not kill.⁵⁴

You shall not commit adultery.¹¹³

You shall not steal.¹⁸⁶

You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.²⁵³

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.²⁹⁹

You shall not covet... anything that is your neighbor’s.... You shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor’s.³¹⁷

Some of the ways the Ten Commandments are written seem old-fashioned.  So you make think you would never violate any other these commandments.  But I urge you to think on the following:

1.  Do I value and place most of my emphasis on my work or social status?
2.  Do I swear?  If so why?   (I have a funny story to share on my layout about this!)
3.  Are my weekends filled with sports, parties and games?   Do I spend my time on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram (Insert your favorite social media)? Do I get to Mass (or Church) and what is my attitude when I arrive and participate?
4.  Do I respect my family?  Do I acknowledge my part in the challenge around me?
5.  Am I concerned about the sanctity of life?  Have I ever told anyone about it?
6.  Do my eyes wander?  Is my marriage vibrant?
7.  Have I ever taken things from my office?  From someone else?
8.  Do I know my neighbors?  Do I speak the truth about friends and neighbors?  Do I engage in gossip?
9.  Do I envy what others have?  Do I compare myself, to what others portray in social media?  Am I jealous of things that others have?

This is our work this week.  Think and perhaps journal about the above.  We need to see ourselves "warts and all" in order to confess and receive God's forgiveness.  

This week may be hard and perhaps even unpleasant to think about.  It is a vital part of renewal to look honestly at yourself.  In the weeks that follow we will "move forward" and get "reenergized".  So work through this with me.......

I care about each of you.

~ Victoria