(Psalm 50 [51]:3 Douay Rheims Bible)
Publius Maximus
This verse is from Psalm 50:3 of the DR Bible and is one of the six penitential Psalms of David. I find it especially appropriate, as we are in the Season of Lent. This is the time of year when we Catholics especially attempt to amend our sinful ways (we should do this year round…) in order to prepare for Easter. Sometimes we fail; sometimes we succeed, but it is always a battle. We are born with original sin thanks to Adam and Eve. This means that we are constantly battling our inclination to sin. I have seen another former prisoner and fellow Catholic, David L. Gray, on YouTube talk about this very thing and his logic is quite good. He posted in response to a priest announcing on the news that he was a homosexual. I won’t go into the details and I do not use this example to upset or scandalize any of you, the readers. Gray’s point was that this priest defined himself by his inclination. Gray then goes on to use some of his inclinations from his past: stealing things and masturbation. This caused me to start a deep reflection on my own inclinations: lust, rush to judgment, profanity, impatience, and I do not “suffer the fool cheerfully”. As I reflected on my past and considered Gray’s words, I would not choose to define myself by my inclinations. A great example for this: would you put your name on a business card and directly below your name list the inclination or inclinations? “Jane Q. Human, Lesbian” “John Q. Human, Fornicator” “Jane Q. Human, Thief” “John Q. Human, Gossip”. While these may be humorous and ridiculous (go ahead, laugh now) they do illustrate a point. Are you defined by your inclinations? One of the most difficult things we face as Oblates is keeping ourselves in check as examples to others around us, especially behind the walls, where it is difficult to be granted five minutes of peace sometimes. When someone gets in your face, it is effortless to be inclined to punch that person in the mouth, right? But if one gives into that inclination, there are consequences for fighting. For those of you Oblates who have the 4 Volume Liturgy of The Hours, you should be in Volume II “Lenten Season” where you will find the above Psalm printed on 6 different pages throughout, all during Morning Prayer. This serves as a reminder at the start of our day that this is something we constantly need to battle. For those of you with the 1 Volume Shorter Christian Prayer, Psalm 51 appears six times as well. For those who have nothing but a Bible at their disposal, you can go directly to the Psalm. Take some time this month and really reflect on your inclinations. Do you let those inclinations define you or are you fighting to reform and amend yourself for the better and be more Godly? Seriously pray on this and reflect. You may be surprised at what the Holy Ghost reveals to you. Afterall, what do you want printed on your business card?
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