Daily Reflections - November 14,2012

Onward, Christian Soldier

 

A woman was praying her rosary inside the chapel. A woman carrying a baby was seated beside her. The baby started crying and would not stop despite the mother’s effort. The woman praying the rosary turned to the mother of the child and snapped, “@$%%^&)*! Don’t you see I’m praying?”

If our thoughts of the other world do not make us better citizens of this world, something is not right somewhere.

In yesterday’s letter to Titus, the bishop of the Christian community at Crete, Paul exhorted the community to live out the virtues of the man and woman transformed by the Risen Christ. By their conscious effort to live a virtuous life, virtues that often seem to contradict the secular sentiment, they are to be witnesses in the world of another world to which all of humanity is ultimately called to live and share in.

Today’s letter shows that while the Christian looks forward in hope and anticipation for the world that is to come, He remains connected with the world that is and endeavors to make this world more and more imbued with the values of the Kingdom. Listen to Paul’s admonition: “Remind people to be loyally subject to the government and its officials, to obey the  laws, to be ready to take on honest employment.” Paul sees Christianity as a positive force of growth and transformation in society.

Genuine Christianity is not a fuga mundi, that is, flee the world spirituality. A genuine Christian sees the good of this world as foretastes and presentiments of the world to come. There is no disconnect between the two worlds. A genuine Christian sees earthly life as a dress rehearsal for eternal life.

Jesus outlines the Christian vocation. We are salt of the earth and light of the world. A Christian does not turn his back on the world because there is evil in it. A Christian turns to the world and strives to overcome the evil in it. Our membership in God’s kingdom depends on the quality of our membership in this world. Fr. Joel Jason

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you become discouraged by the evil around as to be apathetic, indifferent and skeptical of everything in the world?

 

Everything that proceeded from Your creating hand is good, O Lord. May I spend my days taking care of that goodness until I share in the Highest of all goods that is You. Amen.