Nature and Nurture, a Key Both/And
We are not only made in the image and likeness of God, but also the product of our experiences. So how is absolute truth related to this conception of life and death, both physical and spiritual?
Are we to apply our checkered past, our subjective experiences in a historical critical reassessment of who we believe God is, making Him over in our image and likeness?
Or are we to seek understanding of who God has revealed Himself to be and live out the rest of our earthly lives in fear and trembling, for we deserve Divine Justice for our major transgressions of His well-defined law, to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect?
I hope to count myself among the latter, for when I received God's freely given Divine Mercy on April 16, 1998 it became abundantly clear to me that whereas I had been a lost soul, I was called home by a Merciful Father who wanted me to be saved.
It became abundantly clear to me that I must never compromise my faith again. In the great scheme of Creation, Redemption and Sanctification a constant and unwavering faith in our Almighty God and Father is critical to living as a Christian filled with hope and expressed in love.
Post-Modern Americans seem to hate the word ABSOLUTE. That is unless it is the brand name of an popular vodka or related to the great impostor, FREEDOM which is fronting for a wholesale toleration of sin which used to be called LICENSE.
By nature, I was born into a human family that bore the burden of Original Sin
By nurture, I was baptised into the Family of God (although my appreciation of the Sacrament of Baptism was never well-developed)
By nurture, I was raised a Catholic, although not deeply enough to stand tall when it counted.
By nurture, I was attracted by and pulled into a illusionary world of spirals, vicious cycles of sin, desiring pleasure, power and property.
By nurture, I was moved to the point of ending it all in 1997.
By nurture, I was led by the Spirit to jettison the 3P's and as a childlike pilgrim to seek the Truth, the Light at the end of the tunnel.
By nurture, I was reverted by God's unfathomable Mercy and received His three gifts---three circles of light, life and love: a Church family, a missionary vocation, and a wife/companion for the Eucharistic journey back home.
It's all true...
Roman Catholics should be humble enough to declare this without reservation.
A Church made up of sinners seeking forgiveness will look sinful to outsiders.
But when you are in the inside looking out, the Sacred Heart of Jesus
that was made obedient even unto death, is truly our peace and joy.
The Cross is our greatest boast, and that should keep us humble.
Sincerely yours in Jesus and Mary I am,
Mike Rizzio, SOLT
Seek the Light of Our Lord Jesus Christ
See you on the High Ground!
O Beata Trinitas; Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael
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