Boy, Am I Angry

Gospel Lk 9:51-56

"When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
"Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?"
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village."

Yesterday I saw an awful post in my personal Facebook feed about the victims of the Las Vegas shooting. It made me so incredibly angry to read it that I didn't comment on it nor use an emoji to share my feelings about it and I just shut down my computer and walked away from it for the remainder of the day. It still makes me angry to think of it today and how close-minded and just awful people can be. Simply stated, the person wrote that the victims were probably all in hell if they hadn't turned their lives to Jesus and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior prior to their deaths. (The person wrote a similar thing after the Orlando shootings.)  What's ironic about that statement is that to assume that you are going to heaven and someone else is going to hell is a sin against the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself said that ALL sins were forgiveable, except those against the Holy Spirit.  There are two sins against the Holy Spirit ~ Despair and Presumption. The post spoke very loud and clear about presumption. Remember the Pharisees? Yeah, that group. They thought they were above everyone else and it was their way or the highway too. Read your Bible. Jesus wasn't a fan of theirs either. (Despair is when you condemn yourself and feel that you, and your sins, are too wretched to merit the saving grace of God btw.)

How timely that the Gospel reading of today deals with a similar event. Jesus rebukes James and John for not only calling out a judgment but also a punishment on the Samaritans that did not welcome Him. Why? Because Jesus is the ONLY just judge who knows the hearts and souls of us all. Who are we to pass judgment on anyone anyway? God help me, even I'm judging the woman that wrote it. Judging and assumption is a slippery slide and one that doesn't necessarily have a very good ending as Jesus said, "Judge, lest you be judged."

Let's stop labeling people and the bullying and the hate. I feel like I'm being bombarded on a daily basis with so much vile and hatred coming from everywhere from the news, entertainment and social media that I've taken to only watching Hallmark movies or nothing at all. I'm sure many of you feel the same way as I do. Worry about your own soul and how you are living your own life and I will do the same. Read your Bible, say your prayers, and leave the judgment up to God of whom, I can assure you, is much more knowledgeable about someone's soul then we are.

God bless and have a PEACEFUL week. Remember to pray for all those that are suffering in the world, particularly in Las Vegas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Mexico and Montana and for the souls of the dearly departed. May they all rest in peace.

Mare