Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
What is a CINO?
A “CINO” is a Christian in Name Only. We are the Pharisees and scribes of Jesus times. A CINO will wear a cross and cheat his employees by not paying a living wage. A CINO may be church going but cheats his employer by not doing a perfect job or taking too many breaks. I include myself in this group because I am a sinner, and it is impossible to be perfect as Christ is perfect. Nonetheless, we all must try for that state of grace that leads us all into the Kingdom of God. We can be perfect one minute and a sinner the next.
In the words of Jeremiah But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart, let me see the vengeance you will take on them, for I have committed my cause to you. Sing to the Lord, praise the Lord, for he has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of evil men.
We can all do better. Bishop Sheen once said that listening to the confession of nuns was like being stoned with popcorn. We all need to improve. Jesus says that we need to change our hearts and do good works. If I am not doing my Father’s work, there is no need to believe me; but if I am doing it, then even if you refuse to believe in me, at least believe in the work I do; then you will know for sure that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Our Baptism us the authority to do good works in the Father’s name. We have to live like Jesus and do good where we can and avoid sin. A person can have a Rosary on the rear-view mirror of a car but unless they use it every day it is just a symbol and doesn’t make us Christian. Christians are mandated to act and produce spiritual fruit and not just flaunt a cross and actually live as Jesus lived to prove to the world that we are actually are Christians.
Jesus knows our hearts, But you, O Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice, who scrutinise the loins and heart. We can’t hide from the truth. Outward appearances mean nothing to Jesus. He knows our hearts. This is the change that these last days of Lent must bring. It is our hearts that must change and not the symbols we use to proclaim our Christianity. We need to do more than proclaim our Christianity and do the actual things that show we are Christian. Matthew 25: 35-40 gives us a clue.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please Pray especially hard for our Pontiff, Pope Francis who may be doing better now. Please Pray for Cancer victims and their caregivers. Pray for the conversion of Russia and the salvation of the Ukrainian and Russian people and their soldiers. Pray for the Holy Land. Pray for peace! The impossible could happen. Never deny God.
