Third Wednesday of Advent

The LORD spoke to Ahaz: Ask for a sign from the LORD, your God; let it be deep as the nether world, or high as the sky! But Ahaz answered, "I will not ask! I will not tempt the LORD!"

We shouldn’t tempt the Lord nor should we look for signs, which can lead us astray. Instead, we should pray about each decision we make and discern God’s Will through our conscience. We cannot depend upon God to lead us to the right choices through outward signs, but we can depend upon the Holy Spirit giving us the grace to know right from wrong. Yes, from time to time God will send us a sign, but we shouldn’t put our faith in the sign, but rather in God. If a sign comes from God, then good will come from it, but if it comes from our imaginations, misconceptions, or even from the Devil, then we could be lead astray. This is why we should rely on our God-given sense of right and wrong and make every effort to live holy lives founded upon the Scriptures and the teachings of the Church.

Do we pray before making important decisions? Do we allow God into our daily choices? How can we foster a well-formed conscience?

O Lord, grant us a sense of right and wrong and the will to choose good over the evil.

Amen.