Day Four
Some people travel to the four corners of the United States just to have the chance to place themselves in part of four states at the same moment. It is a simple thing to do, to place a hand in Colorado, a foot in New Mexico, a hand in Utah and a foot in Arizona. But once it is done, the person who has done it can say they have been in four states all in the same second. People drive to the four corners just to do this.
Well some people try to keep one foot in one world and the other foot in another world at the same time. For instance, I can try to be a good Christian and a good Hindu at the same time. This isn’t possible since both of these religions have very different world views and they clash against each other.
If we are preparing for Total Consecration, than we are trying to be a good Catholic (Christian). Than we need to do all that we can to do this. Still, there are many of us who try to be of the world and be a good Christian at the same time. We as Christians have to live in the world, but we are not to be of the world. That is what we are getting after today. Sometimes we are not aware of this, sometimes we think we are not living of the world and that are totally living for God. “The temptation to make excuses for not responding to the will and the call of God is very common and very subtle” (Preparation for Total Consecration, 29). Making excuses and blaming others are some of the very, very subtle ways that we are of the world. Even saying, “the devil made me do it,” is a subtle way of being of the world. “In short, a man is worldly-wise who, following solely the lead of his senses and human reasoning, poses as a good Christian and a man of integrity, but makes little effort to please God or atone by penance for the sins he has committed against him” (Preparation for Total Consecration, 29). There are many ways that we can be worldly-wise and of the world. But there is only one way to be a good Christian. The Total Consecration helps us in living the one way.