Is It Worth It?

Have you ever accidently broken something that was your favorite thing, maybe even your most prized possession, something that you valued a great deal? If so, your immediate reaction was probably, shock, disbelief, disappointment or even anger. I sometimes think of someone who owns a classic car. The kind you see that you just know was probably either kept in that condition from the start or maybe restored at a great deal of time, cost and effort. (I recently read about one car, A 52-year-old Ferrari, that sold at an auction for $34.65 million). Then, one day they are driving down the street and get into an accident, the kind that totals the car and it is destroyed beyond repair. Personally, every time I see a car like that driving down the street, I can’t help but think of that exact scenario and imagine that if that if I owned a car like that I would probably never drive it and I would do everything I could to protect it, the same way most of us do with our most valuable possessions. 

That’s Going To Leave A Mark

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This Wednesday, February 18, begins the season of Lent. Up until just a few years ago, I always looked at Lent in the same way, just a 40-day period before Easter when we give something up and don’t eat meat on Friday’s. Wow, how much was I missing? A lot. As usual, because of who I was, I just didn’t really understand the importance and true meaning of Lent, or maybe that’s because I just wasn’t paying attention.

I was struck by an interesting thought as I was hearing the first reading at Mass earlier this week. It was the story of Cain and Abel. We all know what happens. Out of jealousy, anger, envy and probably a bunch of other feelings, Cain kills his own brother Abel because God looked favorably on Abel’s offering (GN 4:1-15,25). The story goes on to tell us that the Lord banishes Cain. Fearing for his life, the Lord puts a mark on Cain so that he would not be touched (GN 4:15).

Get Ready To Do Battle

I don’t know a single person who likes to fight. I have personally known some people by their very nature, just seem to be very argumentative. I often wonder why these people are that way or how they became that way in the first place. I don’t think people are born that way rather something (or someone) causes them to feel a need to disagree with others no matter what. The important thing (and sometimes the hardest) for me is to not judge them for being that way.

Everyone has had an argument with someone, or even a fight, maybe not physically, but verbally. Fighting is not enjoyable at all. If there is ANYTHING positive that can come out of fighting, it is that something gets resolved…hopefully. Otherwise there is no point to it at all. So, depending on how you look at it, and depending on the circumstances, fighting can actually serve a purpose. So should we actually look for an opportunity to pick a fight with someone? No, of course not. But under the right circumstances, fighting is justified.