Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
In Wednesday's first reading (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/092116.cfm), Paul said to the Ephesians, "live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love." I love this verse because of the way it challenges all of us. But when I read it this time I kept getting stuck on the same word - humility. This is probably because this is the part of this verse I struggle with the most.
As I was praying about how to take on this humility, how to make humility a more active virtue in my life, I started to read today's readings to prepare my reflection. Since this is Ecclesiastes, a book that constantly challenges us on our vanities, the answer was right there waiting for me in today's first reading.
My dad has taught me that a good friend and even more so a good spouse is someone who can "call us on our crap." And today's reading does just that. It knocks us down a peg and calls us on our own, self-indulgent crap. We are reminded that we are mere mortal beings, here for a time - that nothing is new under the sun. We are told "One generation passes and another comes, but the world forever stays. The sun rises and the sun goes down." So in other words - you are not the center of the universe - never have been and never will be - words I need to hear often! God should be the center of our universe.
What does a life with God at the center look like? It means following the 10 commandments, practicing the beatitudes, living out all that we are called to in the sermon on the mount, practicing the spiritual and corporal acts of mercy, praying - especially when we think we are "too busy for prayer" and loving our neighbor, whoever that may be.
And through all this we must remember that we are mortal. We will die. We have been entrusted with this gift of life only for a short time. Don't let this truth spiral you into despair. But rather see this as a challenge to speak the truth, live a life of love, follow Christ's call to be radical disciples, without the worry of what the secular world will say about you. This life will pass away. This we know. But because we are people of faith we hold on to the promises of the life to come. We hope for the goodness and joy of heaven - a place where we again are not the center of the universe - God is. I am told that in heaven praising God and living in communion with him will be our only concern. There will no longer be our human pride getting in the way. We won't be comparing who is praising God the "right" way or looking for affirmation that we are more in communion with God than the person next to us. From what I am told, we will all just BE, with God, in harmony and peace. What a beautiful image.
So yes, we are mortal. Yes, we are all part of a bigger universe. Yes, we will all die. Yes, there is nothing new under the sun. But there is a promise of eternal life, of salvation from our own selfish, prideful sins. And there is the hope of heaven where in fact we are ALL made new. I take away from this reading a true challenge to change my focus - to focus not on the reactions and accolades of this world but to focus on living a life worthy of the rewards awaiting me in heaven - to bring God's kingdom to Earth - to make sure God is the center of my universe. That is how we grow in humility. Amen.
- AJ Grimm