confession is only $1.99 (for a limited time)

Turns out there wasn't an app for quite everything yet... 

Little iApps recently made confession easier by creating a mobile app - Confession: a Roman Catholic App. As if that isn't enough to blow your skirt up (sorry, probably need to go download that app now), the Roman Catholic Church has actually given the app their blessing. But, to their defense, Pope Benedict XVI did admonish the denomination to "embrace the digital world" *commence front hugs* (just looked up the app... it's $1.99, which could be a bargain or a rip-off depending on your "usage"). The app, affectionately nick-named "the pocket priest", will track your admitted sins and will even allow you to examine a customized conscience (something everyone needs from time-to-time, right?!?).

What I found really interesting about this app is the user must still go to a priest for absolution. Though it may be a great tool for confessing and tracking your sins, it doesn't appear as though confession booths will be phased out any time soon. Here's why, per the Pope, "It is important always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of direct human contact with people at every level of our lives."

Even as evangelicals (or protestants, as the liturgical world calls us), we must be diligent to avoid substituting virtual contact for true contact. It's great to listen to podcasts, watch Christian TV (sort of), and read inspirational books... but to engage, discuss, emote and confess with real human beings is the beginning of appreciating the complex beauty that is the Body of Christ. Even more, if we will be diligent to engage, discuss, emote and confess with the real, living God, we will discover Life: joy, peace, freedom.

And all this can be yours, no app needed (unless you're using it to read your Bible... or listen to a podcast).

two realities

Scripture reminds us that if one member of the body suffers, the whole body suffers. 

If I stubbed my toe, I would probably walk with a bit of a limp in an effort to keep pressure off my toe. This may cause me undue "attention" by my office friends because the "hitch in my giddy-up" would look funny and could even cause me to incur other aches and pains (because I was trying to compensate for the pain). 

Or if I had a stomach ache, I might avoid the day's tasks and lay my entire body down to rest (since I have yet to learn how to lay only my stomach down to rest). 

Or if I had a headache, my overall focus and productivity would be hindered and, if it was severe enough, I might even need to be motionless in a dark place with my eyes closed to reduce the pain.

Though each of these ailments are fairly localized - my toe, my stomach, my head - they each have the potential of far reaching effects across my entire body... and can even cause peripheral symptoms (if not graduated problems). 

But Scripture also reminds us that if one member of the body rejoices, the whole body rejoices with it. 

There is much in life that demands critical thinking, discerned evaluation, intentional decisions and focused execution - in other words, there is much in life that can cause a cafeteria of suffering. BUT... let's remember that all of those hard things in life:

• should be preceeded by the ONE NECESSARY thing (see this)
• must be carried out in the MOST EXCELLENT way (see this)
• will be worthless without THE ONE true builder (see this & this)

Our God is an unbelievably powerful and faithful God... except that we - His children - actually DO believe He is just as powerful and faithful as He says He is.

And THAT is where our HOPE comes from... sitting at His feet to listen and feel His presence, loving with His heart and remembering our experience of His grace in the faces of others, working and building under His leadership, by His blueprint and in His timeline... like Joesph, Moses, Noah, Hosea, David, Paul, Jesus). 

We have work to do. Some of it will be hard, even painful. But we do not do anything in this life as those who have no hope.

wahoo.