Belief and Behavior Part 1
“Warning alert: Ritualists now target bald men, believe their heads contain gold.”
So, bald men, go and hide oo!!!
I came across that headline and was shocked but this shock resonated in consonance with the same shock I had after my priestly ordination:
A young man came to me with a finger rosary, a chaplet, olive oil, and many other oils.
When I scanned his face, I saw distress and fear and I AMICABLY started questioning him in order not to scare him away because truth can really hurt and it’s difficult to let go off lies that had made one so comfortable.
The result of the inquisition were: the young man wants progress and success but he had never had plans for his life, he has been irresponsible: core casanova, triumphant drinker, wanton but logical liar, he knew every bar around with the number of sits in each, etc.
Actually, he said that the reason he came to me was that I still have fresh anointing as a new priest, so just one touch would push his life to success.
At that I nearly saw myself on the ground on my immaculate soutane.
Yes, I know that a priest is sacramental; channel of God’s grace, so not disconnected from the divine.
But:
what’s the difference between a person who believes in sacramentals, prayers, for success, etc and one who believes that making rituals with bald heads for success, without connection to their lives?
One connecting fact between these two persons above is the belief that they can get what they want irrespective of the kind of life they live.
So, for the Christian, it doesn’t matter your style of life, just believe and everything is settled, and so with the ritualist. Hence, do anything you can in so far as you believe.
This is one of the major problems of Christians today: just believe and do whatever you want.
But remember that in 1 Samuel 4:1-11, in the Israelites’ war against the Philistines, the Israelites look to Yahweh for help through the instrumentality of the Ark. They think that as long as this Ark is with them, God will be obliged to grant them victory, irrespective of what they do or have done. But their hope is in vain.
They were not only defeated but the Ark was also captured.
This is what Christians do today, everyone believes in God but few wants to do the right thing and live responsibly.
Does it mean that Jesus wasted his time, when he said that he came to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32), and to the adulterous woman, “…sin no more(John 8:13).
Therefore, even with your rituals, crusades, sacred objects, novenas and pilgrimages, they would all be futile if you don’t utilize God’s graces(promptings) through them, plan your life, live responsibly and repent because God would not be bought. He would not be purchased by irresponsible or unfaithful people.
I am still laughing ooo!!!
©Fr. Henrycharles Umelechi
Truth Series.