My wife, Anna, says that I am a terrible house cleaner. She is correct. I am not the best but at least I do it. “Real men” clean house but it will never meet my wife’s standards. The process of cleaning is ages old. My Mother Mary and, her sister, Aunt Sophia would always do a major clean on Saturday so that when company came on Sunday the house would be clean. That is when our families would get together. We would spend one Sunday at my aunt’s and the next at our house. With all female cousins I was always in trouble. Sunday night the houses were dirty and Monday was always wash day.
The phrophet, Joel, in our first reading gives us a warning, Blow the trumpet in Zion sound the alarm on my holy mountain. The Jews of the time of Joel were unaware of the crisis that was on the horizon. People were going about their lives as if nothing was going to happen. Sometimes, I do that. Thankfully, the people at the time of Joel, listened.
Human nature is funny. We see a crisis coming and prepare a solution. However, we move on to the next issue and somehow forget about the first problem. I call this the” set it and forget it mentality.” Marriages, companies and relationships fall apart because one or the other party does not work at that relationship. There are somethings that have to be done on a routine daily basis. Our “Souls” are too important to “set and forget”.
Jesus is saying that also when he warns, When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but finding none, it says, ‘ I shall return to my home from which I came’.But upon rturning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first.”
Looking at this scripture I don’t see how we can keep a clean house. Our task sounds impossible.
STOP!
We can not clean our souls alone. Just like a diet we failed doing with that extra dish of ice cream before bedtime. We need to get up the next day and do better. We need the Grace that Jesus gives us to clean our soul’s daily. He is not closing one door but opening a clean one.
Unfortunately, I have had a close relative who just recently relapsed into drug addiction. He is trying to get back. He has to commit to the processHe can’t do it alone. Neither can we when we clean our souls.
It is funny that my Mother and Aunt would clean their homes every Saturday. This is the same day that most Catholic Churches offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Cleaning of the soul!
I can smell the clorine and amonia now.
God Love You Always
Bob Burford
PS: Please pray for all those suffering from Cancer.
Picture Credit :”Cleaning” by go__ greener__ oz is licensed under CC BY 2.0
