Friday, November 18, 2005
> >Dedication of the Churches of
Sts. Peter & Paul
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
the garbage man cometh
"Now that our enemies have been crushed, let us go up to purify the sanctuary and rededicate it." —1 Maccabees 4:36
Don't you think you'd better clean house? There are some closets in your heart that haven't been cleaned out for years. The film of sin has given your life a dingy appearance. And there's the garbage you've been thinking of taking out, but never got around to it.
I have good news for you. Jesus is the Garbage Man. He'll cleanse the temple of your body and make it a house of prayer (Lk 19:45-46). Jesus will wash you in His blood. Accept Him as Lord and Garbage Man. Confess your sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Jesus will wash you in the bath of His word (Eph 5:26) and purify the gold of your life in His fire (1 Pt 1:7). You don't even have to take out the garbage. He'll come in and carry it out Himself. How's that for service?
However, you do have to give Him the keys to your life — the whole key ring. When He takes out the garbage, He won't leave, but stay. Jesus with the Father and the Spirit will dwell within you. You will not only be clean but pure as He is pure (1 Jn 3:3) and holy as He is holy (Mt 5:48). Come, Lord, Garbage Man, come.
Prayer: Jesus, here's all the keys. Do anything You want, any time You want.
Promise: "It was reconsecrated with songs, harps, flutes, and cymbals. All the people prostrated themselves and adored and praised Heaven, who had given them success." —1 Mc 4:54-55
Praise: "I [Paul] had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter was for the circumcised" (Gal 2:7).
Rescript: †Most Reverend Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 21, 2005
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