Law & Order

When you hear the phrase "Law & Order" you either think of the television series or you think of civil rules and regulations.  Obviously law and order doesn't leave a lot to the imagination.  In most matters - in most organizations, including religious, - there must be both law and order.  The law spells out what can or cannot be done or when and how it may be done and by whom.  Once law is established for a group of people or an organization, the order helps to keep both the laws and the people organized for maximum efficiency and benefit.


Old Testament Israelites had more than enough laws to obey and follow.  In the Halakha is the collective body of Jewish law including biblical law (the 613 mitzvot) and later talmudic and rabbinic law, as well as customs and traditions.(from Wikipedia)

Today all Christian Churches have their own set of rules and regulations.  The Catholic Church is no different.  Laws are established to help people do the right thing and to avoid that which might harm them.  In Lent we sit in judgement of ourselves and our lives and what and how we have been acting.  We reflect on what we discover and if we are legalistic we determine if we have broken any Church laws.  This is okay, but in Lent we should not become hung up on which rules we have broken.  We need to know that information - but more importantly we need to know how to correct those wrongs.  We need to know how to confess and we need to know how to ask forgiveness from those whom we have offended.   Just knowing the sin and naming the sin does not make everything alright.  We have to be forgiven.  If we offended an individual then we must approach them and seek their forgiveness - if a large group then we approach the group and if  that is not possible then we confess to our priest who sits in place of the large number.

As we continue our Lenten experience we strive for a new wholeness through forgiveness and reconciliation.  We seek order.

Deacon Dale