A Lesson from Dante

When I was a junior in high school I had to read Dante's Divine Comedy, and I am so glad I did because even though it was subtle, that book has had a profound impact on my life. Still to this day I catch myself reflecting upon pearls of wisdom I gleaned from the cantos. However, one of the things that especially stuck with me was not contained in a canto, per se, but was alluded to and then fleshed out in the notes. And it was this: every choice we make here on earth is a step closer to either Heaven or Hell. 

As I sat by the fountain in the little plaza at my university, praying and speaking with Jesus about my day - I have been out of sorts for almost a week now, and some things that happened today did not help - I asked Him to help me find "me" again. As I prayed, I thought about what makes me "me" and realized that some of what was contributing to my feeling out of sorts was that I had crossed some personal boundaries I had set for myself. And although I haven't sinned in crossing these personal boundaries, still they are things that I know "I" wouldn't do. (For example, I don't like to complain, and yet I have been complaining a lot this past week.) After giving in to crossing these boundaries, I do not feel better but worse because, I realized, boundaries help define who we are. As I prayed more about this, I realized that apart from my personal boundaries, the boundaries that God sets for us are the Ten Commandments and the precepts of the Church, which constitute His Law. So long as we are within the bounds of His Law, which I thought could also be the boundaries of His Kingdom, we are His children and citizens, and we know through His Law exactly what God expects of us as such; but as soon as we cross the boundary - taking a step that leads us away from eternal life as Dante would say - we reject our Heavenly citizenship and fall into sin. However, this is not the end. For as I prayed and asked Jesus to help me, I realized that what I need to do now that I have already crossed my personal boundaries is to learn from this and not do it again. The same goes for sinning. After we confess our sins, we need to try not to commit them again. And while this is much easier said than done, as Jesus reminded me, He is there waiting to succor us and to help us take those steps that lead to Heaven. For as He said: "... I am the Lord thy God that teach thee profitable things, that govern thee in the way that thou walkest," (Isaiah 48:10). Ad maiorem Dei gloriam.

"By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words. With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments. Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications. With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth. I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches. I will meditate on thy commandments: and I will consider thy ways. I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words. Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me: and I shall keep thy words. Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law. I am a sojourner on the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. My soul hath coveted to long for thy justifications, at all times. Thou hast rebuked the proud: they are cursed who decline from thy commandments. Remove from reproach and contempt: because I have sought after thy testimonies. For princes sat, and spoke against me: but thy servant was employed in thy justifications.For thy testimonies are my meditation: and thy justifications my counsel."

~Psalm 118:9-24