“ Pay Attention to the IFs” 

It’s only a two letter word, but very powerful… success or failure…happiness or sadness…fortunes or poverty can depend on it. It’s the word IF….” if you do this, then this will happen……you will receive this, provided you do that…” 

There are people who have the potential to be a great doctor or scientist or lawyer or theologian or inventor….IF…. they apply themselves and study and sacrifice their time. There are other who have the potential to be great athletes or great musicians …IF… they apply themselves and work out and eat properly and practice. “The tourist inquired, excuse me, how do you get to Carnegie Hall … the person answered, practice, practice, practice.”

Even scripture is filled with these conditional clauses. “Humility goes before honor and pride before a fall.”(Prov. 18:12) If you turn from your sin, than you will receive mercy…if you humble yourself, than the Lord will welcome you home. Nothing is automatic.

It’s important that we pay attention to the IF’s when the Lord speaks to us. There are conditions on his invitations to us. “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who do the will of my Father in heaven.”(Mt. 7:21-23)  Doing God’s will is very important….it actually counts.

I just read a meditation by St. Jerome Emiliani. I thought this will be a nice, soft exhortation to make us  “feel good”. Hmmmmmm, not exactly. The meditation lists several wonderful rewards that the Lord has in store for us….”to be numbered among his dear children, to become saints, to have God do great things for me, to be filled with love, to receive a 100 fold in this world and eternal life in the next…. the Lord consoling you in this world, leading you out of temptations, and giving you peace and tranquility …..”. But then I read the “fine print”. There are a number of IFS…..” if you persevere in his ways, if you are not lacking in faith and hope… if you are steadfast in faith, especially during temptations….” (ref. Magnificat, 2-8-24)

It’s good to examine how we are doing on the conditional clauses in our contact. How are we doing with loving God and loving our neighbor? How are we doing with obeying God’s will….. observing the 10 commandments and the beatitudes. Are we making progress in rooting out the 7 capital sins in our life? God will help us in overcoming all the obstacles to faith, hope, and love. But we need to pay attention and ask for his help and grace. 

So let’s pay attention to what the Lord says to us. Let’s not presume on God’s kindness. God loves us and has a wonderful plan for our lives , but he also calls us to listen to him and to pay attention to  what he tells us. We can do this ….. he will help us, he will pick us up when we fall, but we need to pay attention. If we do, all will be well with our soul, and we will inherit the promises he has made to us. And that is very good news.