Grim and Hopeful Circumstances

Let us touch on sin, which is inviting and pleasing to the eye, pleasing to the touch, promises much but fails to deliver. Always. It promises riches and gives us dust. Life and gives us death. Peace and gives us despair. It is never worth it.

They say that all men who enter a brothel are really looking for God. We seek God, the creator and source of all goodness, in the "good" things we find through His creation. We seek Him in sex for it feels good, food because it tastes good... Yet we forget that He created these things and designed them for a specific purpose.

Sex is for the married, those souls who have consecrated themselves to God by consecrating themselves to each other. A friend on mine said, "Sex is the gift God gives to those who choose marriage."

Anyway, we know this. But it's hard to remember when you're skin is in goosebumps and your blood is racing. Every touch is exciting and the pleasure is overwhelming. Until it's over. Until you're left to think about what you've done. And what did we do? We gave up eternity for a moment of pleasure. And we're begging to get it back.

For we understand in that moment what we've lost and what we lost it for: NOTHING.

And then God, if He is willing, in His infinite and unfathomable mercy, brings us back. He opens His arms to the prodigal son and returns him to his proper state - communion with God.

Great! We're forgiven! Hallelujah!

And then we do it again . . .

And again . . .

And again . . .

To the point when we make our return to God, we wonder if His expression is one of joy for our return or frustration at our inability, or unwillingness, or ingratitude, or whatever, to simply STAY PUT.

But we're foolish and keep jumping off of that cliff. Woe to us who jump expecting God to catch us, as He always has. Maybe He'll let us free-fall for a few minutes before, hopefully, finally reaching down and grabbing our feet.

Habits die hard. Biologically, 21 days. Fine. Let's ask then that we receive the grace to make it til then. Where we are no longer beset by the physical manifestation of temptation. The struggle gets harder, sure, but maybe by then we'll have developed our minds and spirits to combat the devil at a different plane of existence.