Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said to the people: "You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan. This led to sin, because the people frequented those calves in Bethel and in Dan.

The temptations and distractions in our lives can become idols that take the place of God in our hearts. This is why we must be vigilant against sin and be willing to walk away from those things that divert our attention from knowing, loving, and serving God and His children. This isn’t to say that leisure activities should be completely cut out of our lives, but that they should always come in second place and be done in moderation. If we ever have to choose between what is right and what is wrong, then we should always do what is right. But in the same vein, we should always choose what is right over what is enjoyable and fun. Sometimes being a follower of Christ requires us to give up something we like for the greater good of being charitable and merciful. If we discover that we have a difficult time giving up a certain activity, even a good one, in order to do what is right, then we must find a way to reign in that activity and exercise our self-control.

What temptations and distractions are leading us away from our responsibilities to God and others? How can we align our lives more perfectly with knowing, loving, and serving our Heavenly Father and all His children? In what ways can we prepare ourselves to always choose what is good and right over those things we find enjoyable and fun?

O Lord, cast out from our hearts all those sins and worldly things that keep us from being completely yours.

Amen.