George Michael was so dreamy...

Whenever I hear the today's first reading from the Deuteronomy 30:15-20 extolling us to "Choose Life" images of George Michael (and that other guy in Wham!) dancing around singing "Wake me up before you go-go" come to mind.  I can't help it...the music and videos of the 80's were formative for me.  I haven't even started the point of today's blog and I'm already off on a tangent!   

Choose life...bold words with many meanings.  In our culture today it could mean choosing Natural Family Planning, Pro-Life (from conception to natural death), Anti-war, etc.  In light of today's reading, however, it is about choosing God, following God's law, loving God which encompasses more than just the above list.  God is quite clear: before you is a blessing or curse, the choice is yours.  Choose God and you'll be blessed; say no to God and you'll be cursed (a.k.a Hell).

Step 1:  God should be first in your life.  

Nothing in life comes before God.  If something comes before God, then you've got idolatry.  Even if a "good" thing, like family or volunteering, comes before God, then it becomes a "bad" thing.  It all comes down to ordering life correctly.  If I place anything before God, then that thing or person becomes a god; a created thing should never come before the Uncreated Creator.  When God is first, then everything else falls into place.  

Lent is a great time to re-order life.  It's a time to take stock and evaluate where I am with God.  Am I choosing God first above all things and people?  Does my job crowd out God?  Is money more on my mind than God?  Putting God first doesn't mean that everything in life will suddenly be rosy, but I will have the tools to deal with the struggles of life better.  

p.s. I wasn't a Wham! fan.  I thought a-ha were far dreamier.