Richard DiPilla’s Post

Wars occur not only between countries but within families, communities and among those we thought we could trust. Many of our friends and family turn out to have the DNA of Judas Iscariot. In the Catechism of the Catholic Church para. 2477, the sin of rash judgment falls under the category of having respect for the reputation of persons. There are three sins listed in this paragraph. It says, “Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty: of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor; of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another’s faults and failings to persons who did not know them; of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.” All these sins (rash judgment, detraction, and calumny) constitute grave matter. If we commit them with sufficient knowledge and full consent of the will, barring any extenuating circumstances that reduce subjective culpability, then we will have committed a mortal sin, which cuts us off from the life of sanctifying grace and charity. These sins are that serious. Hence, we should do everything in our power to avoid coming even close to committing these sins against the virtue of charity. The Catechism suggests how we might do so in para. 2478: “To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor’s thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way.” The Catechism then goes on to share advice from St. Ignatius of Loyola, who says: “Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another’s statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.” In other words, we are not to judge others based merely on our own gut feelings or visceral reactions but rather based on objective facts and critical thinking and reasoning.

A DISEASE CALLED UNFORGIVENESS "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Matthew 18:35). "To err is human, to forgive, divine." When Alexander Pope wrote those immortal words, he stated a truth that still resonates in our own hearts. Forgiving others seems to be one of the hardest things some of us ever have to do, even as Christians. Because, as frail humans, we're tempted to believe the offender should suffer some consequences for what he or she did. Thus, we think, if we easily forgive, it seems we're letting the culprit off the hook too easily. This verse comes at the end of Jesus’ parable of the unmerciful servant. This servant had been forgiven an outstanding debt but was unwilling to forgive another servant who owed him a much lesser amount. Consequently, the master of the two servants revoked his forgiveness of the unmerciful servant who was himself unwilling to forgive others. Brethren, it's really important that we should forgive others who wrong us, no matter what. Going by Jesus' teaching here, I don't have an option, even if I am unwilling to do it; otherwise, I shouldn't expect God to forgive me the great debt I owe Him either. Forgive others, even if they don't ask for it or still persist in their actions that are hurting you. That is really the way of love we've been called to live, and the Holy Spirit will help us. Are you in a marriage that requires you to forgive your partner oftentimes, even when there's no more feelings of love? What about the injustices you may be experiencing in your workplace? In this world, there are good reasons not to forgive others; but lack of forgiveness does more damage to us than the offender. As long as we remain vengeful, we're acting against the golden principle of love and compassion as Christians, and we hinder our own spiritual growth. Forgive that man or woman in the spirit of Easter, no matter what! PRAYER: Lord Jesus, teach me to let go of the past and leave all the paying back to You.

KASYOKI'S INSIGHTS ABOUT UNMASKING POSTHUMOUS FONDNESS HYPOCRISY: EXPOSING PRETENDERS|Kasyoki’s Insights June 5, Wednesday, Dig into the phenomenon of posthumous fondness hypocrisy and insincere expressions behind it. Unearth the impetus and impact of feign displays of bereavement. The death of a loved one is a deeply emotional and challenging experience. It’s a time when genuine expressions of love, support, and remembrance should prevail. However, for some individuals, the passing of someone brings out a troubling phenomenon – the pretense of affection by those who never truly cared. In this article, we delve into the hypocrisy of posthumous affection, shedding light on the insincere gestures and motivations behind them. https://wp.me/pfBhX6-z

exactly my thoughts!

I've been delving into a book that's been a captivating journey. "Last Words: Approaches to Death in New Zealand Cultures and Faiths," compiled by Margot Schwass. Today, I'm diving into the Catholic Faith and it's quite intriguing. 📖 Catholics believe that life is a gift from God and even in the face of sickness, suffering and death, they see it as part of the human condition, not a punishment. 🙏 The Catholic Church encourages seeking good health and using ordinary means to alleviate illness. Their tradition emphasizes caring and compassion, with the strength of community being evident in how they support the vulnerable and sick. 💪❤️ Approaching death for a Catholic involves managing physical symptoms and addressing spiritual and emotional needs. The presence of friends and family is an act of love and compassion, aiding both the dying and those sharing the journey. 🤝 Reconciliation and healing of relationships are encouraged and there's room for moments of solitude, reflection, and prayer. 💭🙌 Medicine and medical interventions are pursued as long as they offer hope, but when hope fades, the focus shifts to ensuring comfort and freedom from pain. The moment of death is seen as sacred, a transition into life with God. 🌌🌟 The Catholic belief in the sacredness of the human body extends to the deceased and respect is paramount in their care. Funeral ceremonies can involve both cremation and burial and bereaved families are supported through the process. 💒 Some forms of death, especially involving children, are particularly heart-wrenching and the Catholic faith acknowledges this pain. 💔 I've learned so much from this book, and I'd love to hear your thoughts. Please share your feedback and if there's a specific faith you'd like me to explore next, let me know! 🗣️ Wishing you all a beautiful day.  #ApproachesToDeath #CatholicFaith #LifeAndDeath 🙏🌟

Worrying and overthinking cripple progress and our ability to practice faith and enjoy life in the present. The word today gives clear guidance. Remember you're covered, so be grateful and talk to your God about your needs.🙏🏽 #CoachEnnie #lifecoach https://lnkd.in/gsEkn94E

The Master gave each of the servants bags of silver in proportion to their abilities. The blessings of God are to be used for his mighty good works and he gives in proportion to abilities. We may feel we deserve xyz, we should be the CEO of a Bank or even heading a multinational somewhere or doing something very outlandish, those are good aspirations, I have them too but the most important question to ask ourselves is that do we have the abilities or capacity to handle any of those? Don’t say yes yet, examine what exactly in your life have you done so well at that gives you the confidence you deserve more? We should treat all of God’s gift to us with the highest reverence so God can trust us and give us more responsibility. I really wonder how many bags of silver he gave Herbert. His death is such a pain to the entire nation. “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip. “The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money. “After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’ “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’ “The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’ “The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ “Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ “But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ “Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. https://lnkd.in/dXyBhvNU

It's been a full year since I received the gracious honor of being fully pardoned and having all my rights restored. Allow me to reflect on a few things 1. I was pardoned in January of 2023 and starting in February business picked up tremendously for me. After speaking at the NCSEA Policy Forum, my speaking calendar was filled for the rest of the year. In September I went on tour to share my story of fatherhood, redemption, and success. I thank God for this because after the County Executive of Kenosha decided not to renew my contract to provide fatherhood services, I didn't know what I would do. I'm thankful that God knew exactly what to do and I am forever grateful 2. This is cliche but as the saying goes, "It's not about how you start is how you finish". At a time in my life, I would only be labeled a felon. But since finding myself, starting my family, and becoming selfless for the greater cause of the community I had great success. This did not come without trials and tribulations. Before I was pardoned, I'd lost a brother to sickness, my sister was killed by a coward and a friend was violently killed in a shooting. The weight of being a husband and father has been a rollercoaster but I overcame it. I am certainly not finished but I completed a few marathons and already started the next. My point: The year started out rough but finished strong. 3. Many claim they are about restorative justice but in reality, they are not. Those who scream "lock them up" are upset when you return to society, use the skills you developed in prison, and change your life around. This used to confuse me but my studies show that some people just really don't care. It's important not to focus on these kinds of people but to pay attention to them. Pay attention to the people around them as well. These kinds of people find a way to create a problem for every solution. 4. None of this was possible without God. No doubt, my faith has wavered but it has never stopped. No matter what I go through, my relationship with Christ is nonstop and consistent. Even when I try to stop trusting God, he shows up in a mighty way and lets me know he is there. The level of peace I get in these moments is indescribable. This is why I say "As long as you work for God, you will never be unemployed" Hope the holiday season is going well for everyone. Be grateful and Be blessed

Well Done or Done Wrong? I recently went to a funeral service of a colleague I didn't know well. I listened intently to the tributes for a recurring word or phrase that characterized him. Persons spoke of his service in business, community, Christian ministry and his friendship. All who spoke, concluded that, "He was Faithful!" Following the tributes was a fitting sermon, titled, “Well Done Good and Faithful Servant,” taken from the parable of the talents in Matthew’s Gospel, chapter 25:14-30. For those not familiar with this parable, it tells of a wealthy man who went on a journey, but before he did, he called his servants and entrusted to them his wealth (talents or bags of gold). To one servant he gave five, to another, two and to another, one. The servants who received five and two bags did well to invest their master’s money and were able to double the amount. However, the servant who received one bag earned nothing on his master's wealth, choosing rather to bury it. When the master returned, he commended the two who had made returns on his wealth saying, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful in a few things. Come and share your master’s happiness.” To the servant who had buried his wealth, the master had no such commendation, but rather a sharp rebuke, "You wicked, lazy servant! … you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them." What a sad tale for that servant you may say, or what a hard master? But is that really so? Didn't each servant have the same opportunity? How about you? What have you done with all the treasures within you? What skills, gifting, talents are you hiding? How well have you invested, developed, utilized and reaped from them? We are all good at something. Possessing a lot or little is not what matters. Our life's goal is to identify and put that thing to work. How often do yiu see others excel and envy them? How often have you belittled what is in your own hands? It is easy when others get promoted to think someone fought us out, but could it be that we simply did not utilize the resources within us or around us? As the service of thanksgiving came to an end, I had to face the fact that my God and Master has given me many bags of gold, all of which I have not been utilizing. I left with the challenge to put to good use, not one, but all the gifts, skills and talents that I have been entrusted (staring with this post), so that at the end of my earthly sojourn, I will hear my Master say, " Well Done Good and Faithful Servant." How about you? How faithful are you with what the Master has entrusted to you? Start being faitful today. There is no telling where it will take you.