When someone turns to you with a confidence, it is most difficult to offer anything other than advice.    Typically, when the situation is ‘grave’ we find ourselves ‘wishing ‘ we could ‘fix it’.

This feeling is all well and good, but it must be understood that it can not be taken lightly.   For sometimes the only answer is to listen.   For once words are spoken, more harm than good may come.    Therefore it is essential to come to the understanding that words are not always warranted.

I came upon a situation where two siblings, sisters, confided in me.   When they did this on separate occasions, I told them, that in no way will I take sides!   For it was apparent to me that ‘evil’ was at work.   Why?   Because the lack of forgiveness that was at the root of the situation;  I knew they could always say the , ‘he said, she said, game.’   Whereby I would find myself traumatized by being ‘pulled into’ their ‘contempt’ for each other!

The ‘first sister,’ told me her version of what occurred, and then said, ” Now I will have to give up going to Mass, won’t I?”   I said, “At no cost should you give up going to Mass. It is the most powerful prayer we have!  That would only be adding sin upon sin!”

After having talked a bit, I told her, that forgiveness is everything.   Without it, nothing matters.   It did not matter, for forgiveness was not to be!

The second sister, approached me, and confided in me as well.   I told her that ‘forgivenesss’ was absolute as well.   She also said, ‘she’s nuts, and I hate her!’   How sad!   Though  I do not have any sisters,I do have brothers, and do know the underlying dynamics of having a sibling.  I also know that sometimes we must agree to disagree!

Unfortunately, the first sister heard the second sister spoke to me, and decided she no longer wanted to have anything to do with me.   Unbelievable!   Years passed!   I called the ‘first sister and told her, I missed her, and love her, and wished her a ‘Merry Christmas’!   She was actually excited to hear from me.

Sometimes we get ourselves into situations so deep that when anger dictates our actions, it compels us to act immediately, and the end result is ‘ugly’!   Then ‘humility’ (pride) will not allow us to take the first step to amend the situation!

As this story unfolds, one can see the slow and handy work of evil within.   That is not to say the sisters are evil, but that evil takes root within all of us if we are not aware.

The Seven Deadly Sins, are ‘silent killers’!   They start simply!  The scariest of them is anger.   For me it is!   Why?   The feelings of the heart are laced to all emotions and anger is an emotion, and we can not run from it!   When we are wronged, and the heart hurts so that it feels like it is bleeding, then the anger rises to the surface.   Quietly, evil lurks into our lives.

The situation, of anger, abandonment, loneliness, and betrayal, are a part of this life.   We have a way of ‘feeling sorry’ for ourselves.   We all do it!

With reflection on the Sacred Heart of Jesus picture, there is a ‘piecing of His heart’ that is apparent.   This says to me, the lonliness, betrayal, and abandonment are what ‘cut’ into His heart.   To live as Jesus lived, is to know some of what Jesus felt, experienced, and endured!   Yet, we must always remember, He forgave all of us in the end!

It is so essential to forgive, that if it were the only thing anyone of us could remember, it would be to forgive.   Forgiveness is Jesus Christ!  He is everything, but if it must be that one had to explain His life with one word it would be ‘forgivness’!    To die for a cause that one believes in so passionately, is to say it with words ‘unspoken’!

To this day, they still do not speak, and it has been Ten years!

So I leave you with this thought.   From the Book of Paul to the Philippians  Chapter 2 verses 3-11

3)”Never act out of rivalry or conceit; rather, let all parties think humbly of others as superior to themselves,   4)each of you looking to others’ interests rather than to his own.   5)   Your attitude must be that of Christ:

6)Though he was in the form of God, he did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at.

7)Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men.   He was known to be of human estate,

8) and it was thus that he humbled himself, obediently accepting even death on a cross!

9)Because of this, God highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name above every other name,

10)So that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under the earth,

11)and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father;   JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!”