I ain't afraid!
So, you've probably heard about the winter weather in the southeastern United States and the Los Angeles wildfires. Now, my mom is from Los Angeles, and I talk about both things, here; Southeastern winter storm and Los Angeles Wildfires
Now, of course, I've talked about the weather here, before. But, given how rare winter weather is where I live, I couldn't pass up the chance to write about snow. Be sure to check out my previous article, here; Suffering is Required
Seriously, it started with sleet, sleet became snow, and snow became freezing rain. Now, it's going kind of all over the place.
The weather on the computer says 30 degrees (we use Fahrenheit in the US), and snowing.
I really should check outside, so, I will go do that.
Nope, freezing rain; and, if you're curious what freezing rain is (maybe you live in Northern Brazil); What is the Difference between Sleet, Freezing Rain, and Snow?(and, if you do live in Brazil,Who will save Brazil?).
Anyway, the weather got me thinking. Let's assume you're familiar with Psalm 51 (Great to read before confession, by the way)! I'm not going to write the whole thing (although, if you want, I have the Douay Rheims version recorded, here; Psalm 51 (Psalm 50, Douay Rheims)
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;
according to your abundant mercy
blot out my transgressions
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
so that you maybe justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.
"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall me whiter than snow”.
(Psalm 51:1-7).
And that's what it's got me thinking of, is God blotting out my sins. Now, I am not going to give a defense of the sacrament of confession (since, you know, I already have; Confessions is biblical)
I think it's good to be able to apply the Bible to everyday experiences. WAY too many Catholics think this is a Protestant thing. It isn't, solely.
Anyway, the snow reminds me of how God can make my soul clean. I don't know how else to describe it.
I bet a lot of people are afraid to become Catholic because of confession. But, to me, while I've had bad confessors, it's a relief. It's one thing to hope you're forgiven, it's another to know it.
Anyway, I think it's good to think about the Bible during, well, any experience. Just because we don't hold a Protestant view towards the Bible, doesn't mean we shouldn't apply the Bible to everyday life. I WISH I did that more.
Adam Charles Hovey is the founder of the Catholicism, news, and whatever community and host of the weekly Bible study, Coffee and Christianity
*All verses from the English Standard Version, Catholic Edition.
ESV Catholic Edition with Deuterocanonical Books, Copyright 2017 by Crossway