Each member contributes his unique talents to assuring the health and strength of Christ's Church. Paul exhorts them to conquer sin through His grace and to work diligently to practice living in God's virtues, His loving traits. Only in this manner can evil ever be defeated on this earth.
As members of the Body of Christ our primary vocation is extending Christ’s presence: we are Christ’s hands and hearts on this planet. God depends on us to touch our neighbor as Christ would if Christ were here.
The basic question we should be asking is always: “What does my neighbor need from me today?” But how often do we find ourselves selfishly reversing the question to: “What do I need from my neighbor?”
I’m so proud of my daughter Sarah, and her work on behalf of God’s children who are caught up in the web created by those who ask the selfish second question, above, and take advantage of the former to further their own agendas. And I’m very proud of Alicia, who looks for every opportunity to help the poor and needy through donations of time, talents and treasures. And both of my daughters do these things in addition to being full-time mothers to their children, teaching them how to become productive members of the Body of Christ.
Through our baptisms and confirmations we all receive the graces we need to be able to ask, “What does my neighbor (mother, son, daughter, father, friend, co-worker, etc.) need from me today?” and “How can I accommodate that need?” Our “job” as baptized Christians is to become the face of Christ to others. Let’s thank God for giving us the Spirit of Christ in baptism and ask God to be open to this Spirit so we might truly be Christ’s presence for others.
Jesus' parable (Luke 14:15-24) defines God's universal call to man. He begins by inviting to His heavenly banquet those who outwardly appear enlightened and faithful to Him. But each, in turn, refused the invitation by citing some worldly concern, relatively trivial matters they saw of more importance than God's call.
Their loss, however, was gain for those whom the world sees as outcasts, the poor, crippled, blind and defective. It is such as these in dire need, who hunger for acceptance and loving care, who value most God's invitation. In contrast, the perfect and privileged felt comfortable, self-made and self-satisfied, too immersed in worldly concerns to honor God Who is the source of all the "good" they enjoy.
Think of the line from St. Paul's letter (Romans 12:16), "Do not be haughty but associate with the lowly." The man who gave the great dinner desired many to come to the feast, and servants were dispatched to bring in the poor and the crippled when those who had attachments delayed or refused.
O, Blessed Redeemer, keep us ever mindful that blessed are the poor in spirit (the humble), for theirs is the kingdom of God. Amen
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