16 February 2020
Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time
Christianity is not a system of meditative techniques. It is not something that you do for one hour a day in order to relax, refocus and find your center. Its purpose is not to trigger the brain to release certain chemicals that have a beneficial effect on your mental wellness. Christianity is a way of standing before God, listening to him, receiving his grace and allowing that grace to shape every aspect your life.
Yes, meditation, focusing and mental wellness all have their place in Christianity, but Christianity is far bigger than that. For example, Christians are required by their founder to adhere to a lofty moral code. Whereas the Old Testament commanded us “thou shalt not kill,” Jesus later added that “whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, … and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna” (Matt 5:22). This teaching should shock you out of your complacency. Maybe you are not as bad off as some mass murderer, but if you are harboring anger in your heart, you are still in pretty big trouble. Judgment and the fires of hell are waiting for you no matter how much time you spend doing meditation.
You really need the help of God’s grace to overcome the anger that is in your heart. You need to stand before him and beg for his help. You need to work hard at opening yourself up to receive his grace, maybe by doing some meditation, maybe by the seven sacraments, maybe by reaching out to someone with as much kindness and goodwill as you can muster. God, in his mercy, will help you.