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Isaiah: 1:10-17
Hear the word of the LORD,
princes of Sodom!
Listen to the instruction of our God,
people of Gomorrah!
What care I for the number of your sacrifices?
says the LORD.
I have had enough of whole-burnt rams
and fat of fatlings;
In the blood of calves, lambs and goats
I find no pleasure.
When you come in to visit me,
who asks these things of you?
Trample my courts no more!
Bring no more worthless offerings;
your incense is loathsome to me.
New moon and sabbath, calling of assemblies,
octaves with wickedness: these I cannot bear.
Your new moons and festivals I detest;
they weigh me down, I tire of the load.
When you spread out your hands,
I close my eyes to you;
Though you pray the more,
I will not listen.
Your hands are full of blood!
Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil; learn to do good.
Make justice your aim: redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.
The Word of the Lord.
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Some of you know I’ve developed a love for golf. Learning how to hit that little white ball seems so simple. But ask any golfer and they will tell you, “It’s much harder than it looks.”
First, you have to learn how to hold the club. Then, you need the right alignment. Pick your target line. Draw your club back. Rotate your core. Bend your wrists. Begin the downswing. Strike the ball dead center, keep your head straight…and…Hope for the best.
What’s the point? A correct golf swing is a mind-body movement that demands all of your attention… and a good amount of free time.
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Think about the spiritual life in similar terms.
God wants our mind, body, and heart to be in sync, much like a good golf swing.
But, at times, we go through the motions. We say our rosary while our mind drifts; we perform an act of charity out of obligation; we avoid sinning out of fear of retribution. Our mind, body, and heart aren’t always in sync.
Israel was sometimes guilty of this. A faithful Jew was a “law-abiding” believer; they could wash their hands before meals, keep the Sabbath, and recite scripture mindlessly while their hearts drifted from the Lord.
As the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, “Bring no more worthless offerings.” What the Lord wants is their – and our – total focus in mind, body, and heart.
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So, how might I break that habit of going through the motions? In what ways can I become more mindful about my spiritual life?
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Image credits: (1)VOCA Editorial (2) Golf Magazine (3) Religious Naturalist Association, WordPress