2 Corinthians 4:7-15
We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always been seen in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are consigned to our death every day, for the sake of Jesus, so that in our mortal flesh the life of Jesus, too, may be openly shown. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke – we too believe and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, sot hat the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God.
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Matthew 20:20-28
The mother of the sons of Zebedee came with them to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, “What is it you want?” She said to him, “Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.” “You do not know what you are asking,” Jesus answered. “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” They replied, “We can.” “Very well,” he said, “you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.”
When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
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The glory of God is revealed through us. How? When we do things that are simply not humanly possible.
I don’t mean that we lift cars and trains and leap over buildings in a single bound, but rather, that we live a truly Christian life of service to others. When we live lives of service to others, we become more patient, humble, kind, compassionate, etc. In short, we become holier, and living lives of service to others becomes our ticket to heaven… not that it grants us salvation, but it prepares us for heaven.
One prime example of living a life of service to others would be that of a parent. Parents live their lives for the service of their children. By this we can see how parenthood is a vocation, because it makes us become more patient, humble, kind, compassionate etc. In short, through parenthood, through bringing up our children to be good adults, we become holier, and service to our children prepares us for heaven.
Consider then what happens to married couples who choose not to have children because they find them a burden in terms of time, effort, and cost, and prefer to spend that on themselves.
Another prime example of living a life of service to others would be that of the religious life – people who choose to remain celibate so as to devote their lives in service to the church, in whatever manner that God has chosen for them. By this too we can see how religious life is a vocation, because it makes us holier when we have to serve others. In short, through religious life, through a lifetime of discipline and service to others, we become holier, and service to the other members of the church, and indeed the Church itself, prepares us for heaven.
Consider then what happens to people who choose to remain single to enjoy the pleasures of life for themselves.
This, however, doesn’t mean that those who are not married or celibate cannot be holy people. As we have seen, we can be married or single and still be unholy people. What is important is that Christianity is about service to others because we love God whose glory is revealed through others. And when we make our lives a sacrifice in offering for the God that we love, the glory of God then becomes revealed through us as well. And by this, we are doing things, we are loving God and others in a way that is simply not humanly possible. We are only able to do it because we have God in us.
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Prayer:
Dear Lord, we ask that today we might be able to live a life that is holy in service for others. Give us the strength, the courage, the patience, the kindness, the compassion, in short, the holiness that we might be able to do all that we can do today to be a holy Christian. Amen.
Give Thanks to the Lord for: Giving us the grace to live superhuman lives.
Filed under: Daily Reflections, Holy Matrimony, Holy Orders, Love
[...] love in return). As a parent (and this is especially true for men), the roles finally reverse and people learn to sacrifice their own wants and needs for their children just as their own parents once did for them. In fact, [...]