Feast of St. Catherine of Alexandria, Mon., Nov. 25, 2013
Deacon Robert Banet
What’s wrong, Charlie? You look glummer than usual.
Oh, it’s Jim, guy I work with. He’s always on me about something or another. This time it’s about how negative we Catholics are. The Ten Commandments, he says, they’re all so negative.
Well, he’s right there. Honor your father and mother and keep holy the Sabbath. That’s two out of ten.
He says that’s not enough. You have any advice?
Well, you could tell him to love God and do what you want.
What! That’s crazy. It sounds like something Hugh Hefner would say.
Look at it this way: Love God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul. Isn’t that what the Bible says?
You’re right. If I loved God with my whole heart, I guess that would mean that putting Him first would be top priority with me.
Right. If any other idea would suggest itself to you that is contrary to God’s will, you would right away get rid of it.
Yes. I just wouldn’t want to do anything to offend the person I care about.
Tell that to Jim. See how he reacts.
It would be a challenge for him. Or for anybody, for that matter. I’ll spring it on him and ask him if that’s positive enough for him.