Read, Reflect, Respond
Read:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
Reflect:
The next two sins of the flesh, idolatry and sorcery, are when we fail to praise and thank God for His goodness. We worship things, like power, wealth, and status more than our Creator. Coveting is idolatry as it reveals desires that rule in human hearts, so that the desired thing takes precedence over God. With Piety or Reverence, we have a deep sense of respect for God and the church. It is in this posture that I recognize my total reliance on God and come before Him with humility, trust, and love. Piety is the gift, at the Holy Spirit’s instigation, where we pay worship and duty to God as our Father. It is also the perfection of the virtue of religion. While we tend to think of religion today as the external elements of our faith, it really means the willingness to worship and to serve God. Piety takes that willingness beyond a sense of duty, so that we desire to worship God and to serve Him out of love, similar to the way that we desire to honor our parents and do what they wish. True piety instills in us a desire always to do that which is pleasing to God.
Wise Words:
The closer one approaches God, the simpler one becomes.
St. Teresa of Avila
Respond:
Lord, help me to contemplate you as my heavenly Father and grow in reverence towards You.
Smitten With Goodness 