What is your image of God? Is he a perfectionist demanding perfection from you and ever ready to punish you at your slightest slip up? Do you live in fear that he will scold you immediately the next time you make a mess? Is he the great guilt-inducer that wants you to live in chronic guilt lest you fall from grace into the dark pit? Is he a great task master trying to whip you into shape? Is he vengeful and spiteful for all the times you do not recognize him for who he is? Is he a God to fear and walk on pins and needles around?

Or is your image of a God that loves you and holds you and forgives you? Is he a God that you do not have to fear that he will banish you from the garden if somehow choose against him but come running back to his mercy? Do you have peace in that you have a place in God and his mercy is greater than any sin you have ever committed? Is your God a God to love and not to fear?

So much of the spiritual life is about healing our image of God. I see so many people who live in fear of a punishing God who is quick to throw them into the dark pit for their sins. The darkness of their fear overshadows the light of Jesus' love.

Let me leave you with an image of God that is Christian to the core. A man has lived a sinful life full of shame and guilt. He has made a good confession and he goes to meet Jesus and be judged. Jesus is waiting there for him with a bowl of aromatic oil. He washes all the grief, shame and guilt off this man and says to him, "I have heard enough of your talk. Don't bother me with that stuff anymore. Now, go over there and play."

Do you know that Jesus?

Blessed by the BEST,

+Fr. John