What is our image of God? What does He want from us?
For most of us, God is Mercy, and we would not be wrong in that. But He is also Justice. His perfect mercy and perfect justice cannot and will not be denied. On our journey through life, we throw ourselves on the former, or eternal damnation is the price that justice demands. So, we must strive, as St. Paul says, to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.”
Is this for Us, Lord?
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more. Luke 12:48
So concludes the gospel for today. No easy pass. No highway to heaven. Instead, the writing is clear and precise. We are undoubtedly beneficiaries of God’s bountiful grace. Our continued existence is proof that His love sustains and wills us to remain here.
What for? Why do we exist? What is our purpose in life? These are good questions to ask Him. We can use our time chasing silver and gold and material riches, but in the eyes of God, we would be like the rich fool whose life would be forfeited and the dross serve only to drag us down to the netherworld. As my good pastor said in a recent homily: Riches cannot get you to heaven, but it could keep you out of it.
Faithful, Prudent Stewards
God seeks hearers and doers of His will. He seeks faithful and prudent stewards and those who are not content in merely living for today but who strain for eternity.
The choice is clear. Either we stake our lives on eating, drinking, and making merry, for tomorrow we’ll be dead and gone; OR we can stake our lives on the Resurrection, building on the firm foundation laid by Christ and His Church that charts the course we must navigate to reach the Promised Land of Heaven. Why the Church? Because the Church in Christ is a sacrament – a sign and instrument – of communion with God and of the unity of the entire human race. Not my words. Lumen Gentium paragraph 1.
It’s become eminently clear that we are here for a singular, unique purpose that God wills for us to achieve. The greatest gift we can give our God is loving Him in return for practically everything we inherit or receive; and loving His creation, starting with the souls He has placed within easy reach. All of us, whether priest, prophet, or king, are called to increase in holiness. We are called to be saints. And, we are called to be faithful servants. We are called to be humble workers in God’s vineyard.
Inscrutable Riches of God
The indefatigable St. Paul talks of his mission in terms of stewardship. Grace was given to him to bring to light for all the plan of the mystery hidden from ages past to be made known to the Gentiles through the Church. Stop there.
For us who are baptized Catholics, we have the same grace and the same mission. To witness to the World. Looking around, there are a whole lot of people who have either never heard of the Gospel or have rejected it. For those of us in the laity, I think this is our time.
The clergy is ministering to dwindling numbers, it’s our job to spread the Gospel. By loving word and deed, we can rebuild the fallen hut and restore it to its former glory. So, let’s arm ourselves with the word of God, draw deeply from the sacramental riches of the church and swing into action. Not to drum out our gospel, but Christ’s. At the end of our lives, we’ll come face to face with God’s mercy and justice. The depth of our love will tip the scales.
Great job Patrick and Julie, once again.
Keep up the good work.