What is a “woman”?
Sponsored
Catholic365 is sponsored by
Road to Purity
A child throws a tantrum at the dinner table when his mother tells him he must finish his vegetables before going to play. The 3-year-old tosses the plate on the floor, flinging green beans and carrots across the tile, and screams until he is red in the face. Mom tells the boy he now must do time out before going to play because he acted ugly. The child, tears streaming down his face, goes and sits on the sofa for his time out. After a minute, he gets up and walks over to his mother (who is cleaning up the vegetables from the floor) and gives her a hug. He smiles and says, “I love you”. Mom hugs him and says “I love you too son, now go back to your time out. You’re not done yet with your punishment.”
Many times, we act like the 3-year-old with God. We are told what we need to do and what we need to avoid and yet we do not comply. We throw a fit and tell God we do not see the big deal and continue to sin. We know we must attend Mass on Sunday, but it is no big deal to miss it for a day out on the lake with the family. We know we need to pray, but it’s not really a big deal if we don’t have time. We know we need to give to the poor, but it’s not that big of a deal if we hold our wallet tight because we are saving for that family vacation. We know we should not lie, cheat, use the Lord’s name in vain, receive the Eucharist unworthily, or live in sexual immorality but we tell God it’s not that big of a deal. We throw our fit and revolt against the rules because we want to do something different.
Then, we go to God and hug him. We tell Him we are sorry, say a short prayer of “I love you Jesus” and expect God to forget. However, we do not apologize. We do not repent. We do not acknowledge his rules are best for us and agree to follow them the next time. We simply expect our words “I love you” and our “hug” to get us out of our punishment. God will reach down and hug us as well. He comes to us in the Eucharist. He showers us with graces through the Sacraments. He pours blessings down on us. He whispers, “I love you too”, but without repentance and “I’m sorry”, he continues to enforce the consequences of our sin. Sin has consequences. Sin brings despair, destruction, turmoil, and spiritual death.
“For those who live according to the flesh are concerned with the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the spirit with the things of the spirit.” (Romans 8:5)
God’s love does not disqualify us from hell. God loves us, but he requires us to obey Him and to love Him back through not only our words, but our actions.
“Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
