Choices

St. Marcellin's mission of  "making Jesus known and loved," carries with it more than just teaching facts about Jesus, or lists of do's and don'ts. It means forming a love relationship with him that will enable us to make the right choices which thus take care of the do's and don'ts.  Parents take great pains to begin the process helping their children learn right from wrong, and set up rules which serve as the framework for later choices.  They do so in a loving way, albeit a "tough" loving way at times, especially when the children enter their teens and want to experiment outside the boundaries that have been set for them. It takes loving patience to explain, to help them learn from their mistakes, to bear with their rebellious attitude, (which, thank God, they eventually outgrow), but in the end (whenever that is) the children grow into responsible adults.
In our own process of coming to know and love Jesus, we follow a path not unlike that of our offspring or students.  We make mistakes, we experiment, we take the easy road of less resistance, we question, we whine, and we test God.   That same loving forbearance which we give to the young, God continues to give to us.  With the wisdom of a long path of ups and downs, mistakes and corrections, right choices and wrong, we learn and appreciate God's patience with us and come to love and trust him from the depths of our souls. Right choices, then become easier.
Bro. Rene