Our Holy Cross community in North Easton, MA with its twenty priests and one brother welcomed a new religious superior. He met with us individually asking us about our lives in community, what we expected from him and the big question, “do we have a spiritual director”. I’m sure this question elicited a lot of different responses.
With a bit of humor, I was tempted to say to him what I hear sometimes from elderly persons, being elderly myself, “Father I’m old now, what sins can I do at my age, what benefit would spiritual direction have for me”. Whether young or old, navigating this valley of tears has its challenges, and guidance is sometimes needed and helpful.
Which brings me to the passage from the Book of Exodus. It occurred to me that God was providing his people with spiritual direction, helps to navigate life. Life has its ups and downs with temptations that never cease even as we get older. Sin is still with us, and its effect can diminish us. Jesus knew this when he asked the crowd,” who among you is without sin, let him cast the first stone”. All were silent and all walked away without casting any stones.
The Commandments that we heard today are tools God is providing us for spiritual direction. The psalmist knew this when he alluded to God’s word and how it provides us with everlasting life, words that refresh our souls, words that give us wisdom are clear, true, and just. The commandments are more precious than gold and sweeter than syrup or honey from the comb.
In the parable that Jesus told today about the seeds sown on the path, rocky ground, and rich soil, he said that the evil one comes and steals away what was sown in our hearts. God provided us with a firewall to ensure that the evil one is prevented from stealing what God has sown in our hearts. The Commandments, prayer, family prayer, rosary prayer, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the Eucharist all serve the same purpose: they keep the evil one out and keep God in.
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