September 12: Friday of Week 23 of Ordinary Time, Year A-II:
1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-27;
Psalm 4:3, 4, 5-6, 12; Luke 6:39-42
What is Jesus
saying to us as stewards of his kingship?
(To
support Reaching Jesus... Step Five).
“Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in
the truth” (Alleluia verse, John 17:17).
Paul felt obliged to preach the Good News. He did it
willingly. But he said that even if he were unwilling, he had a stewardship [oikonomian] entrusted to him to which he
had to be faithful.
Are you conscious of being personally entrusted by Jesus
Christ with the task of establishing his reign throughout the whole world? Of
converting hearts and changing society? Do you see yourself as his steward, his
administrator, the manager of his interests where you live and work? Have you
accepted the responsibility? Willingly or unwillingly?
Stewardship is not a general exhortation. We were
individually consecrated and committed to it by baptismal anointing. It is
intrinsic to the gift of grace.
Grace is a gift. The gift is love. Those who love want to
give to others. Therefore, if we do not want to give to others what we have
received, we do not love. And we do not have grace. That is scary.
This doesn’t have to be a felt desire. Love is a choice,
not a feeling. Where love sees emptiness, it wants to give “life to the full.”
Where love sees greater capacity, it wants to encourage growth. Where love is
not fruitful, it yearns to create union of hearts. For love to live it must
give.
PRAY: “Lord, give your gift with
me, in me, through me.”
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