Tuesday of the Second Week
The theme of today’s Scripture is to act in service of others. This service is not self-fulfilling, but unbelievably selfless. We are being called to be like Christ and to care for our neighbors without any expectation for reciprocation. All too often we do things for others while secretly anticipating a response. The Scripture attempts to bring to light this human fault and redirect us towards participating in charitable works for selfless reasons.
Furthermore, the Scripture continues to express the theme of practicing what you preach. When speaking about the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus explains to His followers that they should not follow their example. According to Jesus, “...they preach but they do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they will not lift a finger to move them” (Mt 23: 1-12). It is common for us to recognize the importance of showing compassion towards others, but when it comes time to actually care for our neighbors, our philanthropic gusto seems to wear out. Instead of exclusively becoming aware of our burdens and the burdens of our neighbors, we should actively work together to move them. Through our imitation of Jesus in ways such as kindness, generosity, and humility, we can share the gift of His light with others and lessen our collective burdens.
Lord, please remind us to be humble of heart, mind, body, and spirit. Show us Your light so that we may share it with others. Remind us to be selfless in charity and to do good works in Your name. Amen.
Marge Riccardelli, ’21
No comments:
Post a Comment