Our Citizenship is in Heaven November 10

Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:19-20

For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light. Luke 16:8

Piety

God, have patience with me. My mind is always so pre-occupied and strays from the concerns you want me to have. Give me the prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice to deal with the challenges here on earth so I can pave the way to become a child of the light. Amen.

Study

This week, my attention has been occupied at least a little with the hometown industry news (electioneering is to Washington what baseball history is to Cooperstown). Maybe yours has been as well. St. Paul must have been able to sense how my thoughts can be hijacked into watching Wolf Blitzer and CNN Situation Room around the clock while the radio is tuned to “NPR’s Morning Edition,” and a stack of papers – the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the USA Today – sit nearby ready to share the analysis of what’s happening.

St. Paul jostled my conscience today. He reminded me that “citizenship” is not solely in this nation…but rather more so in heaven. Elections pass. God’s commandments and mission for us never change.

After the political reminder in the first reading, we then get the economic reminder in the Gospel. If the steward can not please his master, he tries to dupe his neighbors into taking care of him. When the steward finds himself among the unemployed, he starts forgiving SOME of the debts of his neighbors…but not all their debts so that they will take care of him and he may get back in the good graces of his master.

The lesson Jesus teaches is that God will take care of us and forgive all our debts if we forgive those who have debts with us. God is not looking for cunning stewards, he is looking for loving stewards. Such worldly political and economic concerns are transient. Instead, St. Paul urges us to stand firm in the Lord.

He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified Body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Action

Take a walk down any main road and pick up some of the “flotsam and jetsam” of an election – all those signs!

Take one of the signs of a winning candidate and write a note on the back. Congratulate the candidate and add a reminder of the faith-based principles which we will use to encourage them in their public actions such as the principles of catholic social teaching and the Gospel of Matthew.