Thursday, February 9, 2012

Sunday September 12th Reflection

Do All Things for the Glory of God


A Reflection based on the readings for Sunday February 12th 2012

By Rev. Bob Johnnene OFD of Mission Sts. Sergius & Bacchus/ Franciscans of Divine Mercy

www.franciscansdivinemercy.org

www.missionstsergius.org



Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God. Never do anything offensive to anyone – to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God; just as I try to be helpful to everyone at all times, not anxious for my own advantage but for the advantage of everybody else, so that they may be saved. Take me for your model, as I take Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1)

These words from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians tell us everything we need to know about how to act as followers of Jesus Christ. “do it for the glory of God Never do anything offensive to anyone ”

NEVER DO ANYTHING OFFENSIVE TO ANYONE!

In light of this instruction from St. Paul, I wonder how any individual, corporation, political party or religious organization can justify any action that would cause any person to feel inferior.

How can any corporation justify exorbitant interest or other fees for the purpose of insuring huge profits, salaries and bonuses for their top executives and shareholders at the expenses of the average individual?

How do followers of Jesus Christ and believers in Almighty God allow a person to suffer from homelessness, hunger, poverty, or any illness while they life with an abundance of luxuries while so many do not have even the basic necessities of life.

How, I wonder, can anyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus Christ discriminate against any one of God’s children because their skin color, nationality, marital condition or sexual orientation is different than theirs when doing so causes pain and suffering?

One might ask how a person who has made a commitment to another individual to love them forever go out and seek sexual gratification with someone who is not that partner causing their partner pain.

How, I muse, could adults, who are in positions of trust, especially those who were supposed to be representatives of Jesus Christ here on earth, ever molest a young child and then be protected by those who were their superiors.

There can only be one explanation for any of these actions that have caused so much pain and distress and offended so many over the ages and it is “THE EVIL ONE” who has been in open confrontation with God from the beginning of time.

The same one who even had the audacity to tempt Jesus Christ with the same tools he tempts us with, called the Seven Deadly Sins; lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride.

Mohandas Gandhi called these traits, the most spiritually perilous of all things to the wellbeing of humanity: “Wealth without Work, Pleasure without Conscience, Science without Humanity, Knowledge without Character, Politics without Principle, Commerce without Morality, and Worship without Sacrifice.”

At one time or another each one of us has committed at least one of these actions and possibly more than once.

So how do we reverse our failure and turn back to living our lives for THE HONOR AND GLORY OF GOD?

We begin first by making time each day for prayer and reflection on the gifts we have been blessed with and not dwell on what we perceive we have been deprived.

We try our best to live our lives with temperance in all things. We find the courage to speak out against injustice. We strive to love and have charity toward all we encounter as we travel the road of life. We strive to hold our carnal desires in check and make a commitment to have monogamy in our relationships.

We have charity toward those who have less than we have and commit to supporting the work of programs that assist those in need.

In essence, we practice the Corporal Works of Mercy every day by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, shelter to strangers, clothing the naked, visiting the sick, rehabilitating prisoners and providing them their legal rights, and mourning for the dead especially those who died because of the failure of others to provide proper medical care or died as a result of war or another’s injustice.

We need to do all things, as the motto of the Jesuit’s and the title of our missions News Letter is, AD MAJOREM DEI GLORIAM- For the greater glory of God. AMEN

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