Would you rather put your hand in a fire or in a bucket of water? Life is full of choices! Some choices are small, like deciding what to wear today or what to cook for dinner tonight. But other choices are decisions between doing what is right and what is wrong. These are “moral choices”, and God created us to be free to make moral choices. It is this moral freedom that separates us from other animals. Moral decisions involve facing some sort of temptation. For example, a temptation to be dishonest to your spouse about something serious. Or a temptation to continue drinking alcohol when I know that I have reached my safe limit. Or a temptation to spread a vicious rumor about someone which may not be true. God takes these decisions VERY seriously! We read in Sirach 15: “If you choose, you can keep the commandments. There have been set before you fire and water. To whatever you choose, stretch out your hand. Before everyone are life and death, whichever they choose will be given them.” Fire is an element of nature that burns, consumes and destroys. Water, on the other hand, is life-giving. We cannot live more than 3 days without water, and our bodies are about 60% water. The commandments of God are given to us to lead us to abundant life. If we have a good conscience, then when we consider a bad decision we will begin to feel a tiny burn in our heart. Something is wrong and we feel it deep inside. A good conscience is formed by prayer, listening to God’s Word, and considering the potential effects of any decision, especially the long-term consequences. We are choosing between life and death. – – – Fr. Jim