Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
No cost. Free. Gratis. No deposit.
Think about it: what an incredible gift He is giving (and which we still receive). In an era when everything seems to have strings, the freebie God through Jesus give us is staggering, overwhelming, humbling, warming breath of fresh air-- a lift up, a beautiful present from Someone who loves us. Isaiah says much the same thing: “God is coming. He will take care of you. He will make everything better.”
Though there is no catch, there is an obligation: without cost, we, too, are to give. Continuing the mission of Jesus, we need to bring the good news to the lost souls of today. It can be as simple as a smile or a word or a helping hand. The distorted desire we meet in the street needs to see the light of the Truth. Then heart speaks to heart and the lost ones can be drawn to Jesus Christ. That’s the tricky part. But it’s so easy—we can give in so many different ways, from kindness, to acknowledgement, to service, to simple love.
That is what we are to do as Catholic Christians. We light the lamp and place it on a stand and welcome any who wander into the circle. Even though it is difficult to fight the battle for hearts and minds, we are sometimes moved to pity and prayer by the illogic and sometimes sheer ill will we hear emerging. When you see a lost soul, one so wrapped up in himself or his ideas, pray for that person regardless of how you may feel about him. I have had trouble getting along with some people for one reason or another. My brother gave me some advice that appears to be working: When you encounter these brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t seem to see eye-to-eye with you, pray harder for them. What I’m finding out is that when I do, my own heart softens and their “faults” suddenly become the things I like most about them! These are the substantive steps that can be used to allow the Holy Spirit to lead each person to the triumph of the Father and the love of Jesus Christ.
I’m not one who succumbs to the easy assumption that the present age is worse, more evil, or more problematic than prior historical periods. More complex? Yes. Worse? No. Still, when at the end of a week I am reminded of today’s words, I am at peace. I feel God’s presence.
Think about it: what an incredible gift He is giving (and which we still receive). In an era when everything seems to have strings, the freebie God through Jesus give us is staggering, overwhelming, humbling, warming breath of fresh air-- a lift up, a beautiful present from Someone who loves us. Isaiah says much the same thing: “God is coming. He will take care of you. He will make everything better.”
Though there is no catch, there is an obligation: without cost, we, too, are to give. Continuing the mission of Jesus, we need to bring the good news to the lost souls of today. It can be as simple as a smile or a word or a helping hand. The distorted desire we meet in the street needs to see the light of the Truth. Then heart speaks to heart and the lost ones can be drawn to Jesus Christ. That’s the tricky part. But it’s so easy—we can give in so many different ways, from kindness, to acknowledgement, to service, to simple love.
That is what we are to do as Catholic Christians. We light the lamp and place it on a stand and welcome any who wander into the circle. Even though it is difficult to fight the battle for hearts and minds, we are sometimes moved to pity and prayer by the illogic and sometimes sheer ill will we hear emerging. When you see a lost soul, one so wrapped up in himself or his ideas, pray for that person regardless of how you may feel about him. I have had trouble getting along with some people for one reason or another. My brother gave me some advice that appears to be working: When you encounter these brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t seem to see eye-to-eye with you, pray harder for them. What I’m finding out is that when I do, my own heart softens and their “faults” suddenly become the things I like most about them! These are the substantive steps that can be used to allow the Holy Spirit to lead each person to the triumph of the Father and the love of Jesus Christ.
I’m not one who succumbs to the easy assumption that the present age is worse, more evil, or more problematic than prior historical periods. More complex? Yes. Worse? No. Still, when at the end of a week I am reminded of today’s words, I am at peace. I feel God’s presence.
No comments:
Post a Comment