Seek What Is Above

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

By Melanie Rigney

“If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above…Put to death, then the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. ” (Colossians 3:1, 5)

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.” (Luke 6:24-26)

Piety

Lord, let me be brave enough to put aside the earthly crutches that keep me from walking in your light. Let me lean on your strong shoulder. If you are my friend, I have all I need.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/091207.shtml

God doesn’t expect us to be miserable here on earth. But he does expect that we remember him, honor him, and follow his commandments.

It’s easy to convince ourselves that we have to look out for ourselves because no one else will… to satisfy ourselves rather than reaching out to those who need consolation; to fill our homes and bellies rather than our souls; to ignore the misery and misfortunes of others; to take excessive pride in our public image or persona. It’s also easy to believe that if we are popular, well liked, and constantly surrounded by our friends and people who want to be our friends that we are doing everything right.

How much harder it is to, as Paul says, put to death the parts of ourselves that are earthly. How much harder to set aside the desires and behaviors and opinions of the world and to trust in God. How much harder it is to say no to the temptation to be popular, to fit in with the crowd.

Yet, if we do so, we fit in with an even bigger, better crowd… the crowd of Christ’s people. For when we rid ourselves of the old practices and put on our new self, as Paul says at the end of today’s First Reading: “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.”

Action

Conduct an inventory of the people in your life. To whom are you looking as a false prophet and why? Is there someone for whose spirituality you have taken ownership and responsibility? Remember, this isn’t about you. As Cursillistas, we lead our friends to Christ… then let the two of them establish their own relationship.