Idols

This image was shown on television throughout the world. During the football World Cup of 1990, Argentina and Romania were playing: Romania was winning the match, and just before throwing a fault, MARADONA, the famous Argentinian player, put his hands together and prayed... it is what you might call "remembering God only when things go wrong".

Many people live this way: they worry about their lives and their idols, and they live with their backs turned towards God; later on, when things get tough, they remember God. God does not submit to this blackmail: if we live worshipping other "idols", we should cry out to them when we need help. Idols are the small gods of this world. Foundations of sand on which to build our lives. There are thousands and thousands of  different idols: for some their idol is pleasure, to live always in accordance with what makes them feel good, to make all the decisions on the basis of what is more or less agreeable. Others worship power, one of the most dangerous diseases of recent years: they would give anything to rise in the social pyramid, to have people under their power. For others the most important thing is money: they might even destroy their own health in order to have more and more money, to treasure more things, and to show off their possessions.

For many (including various sportspeople), the most important thing is fame: their priority is that people know them, admire them, and look up to them as superior beings. Others put their trust in science, so much so, that it may seem that only what is understood is worth living for. Idols - small gods, but huge liars.

Do you know how it all ends? Whatever the idol is by which people live, many of them try to come back to God when there is no other help in the troubles of life. Even those who call themselves atheists: if you study their last moments before death, you may observe that many cried out to the same God they had denied for so long. But it is late in the day. God gives hundreds of opportunities in life for us to return to him: if we do not do this, we will have to face the consequences.

You cannot live as if God did not exist, and when something goes wrong to try to blame someone for all our disgraces. We have the right to live as we want. Of course we have the right to serve our own gods, but remember that when things go wrong or death is calling at your door... let them save us!