Listen and Act

June 28, 2007
Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, bishop and martyr


May the LORD decide between you and me!” Genesis 16

“Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. Matthew 7:24

Piety

Let us pray: It is for our glory that we persevere in service to you, God of heaven and earth. God, You granted to your bishop St. Iraneus the gift of strengthening your Church in true doctrine and peace. To the very point of death St. Iraneus was a peacemaker and strove to uphold Your will. The threats of the wicked he did not fear for upon solid rock he rested his position. Hear his prayer for us, effect our renewal in faith and love, and make us eager to foster harmonious unity. This we ask of you through your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.


Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/062807.shtml

“To follow the savior is to share in his salvation, just as to follow the light is to share in the light. Those who are in the light do not cause it to shine and make it radiant, but are themselves shone on and made radiant by the light. They add nothing to the it but receive the who benefit themselves through the illumination it gives them.”
St. Irenaeus, Against Heresies

God does not benefit if we build our house on sand or on rocks. We benefit from God. In the same way, God does not benefit from our piety, study or action. We benefit from carving time out of our day – be it work time, play time, vacation time or other time – to worship, know, and serve God. .

Today in the readings, we see and hear how Hagar listened and acted upon the message she got from God. Despite the abuse she received from Sarai and the adulterous relationship Abram committed in order to have a son, Hagar returned o her role as servant to Sarai after hearing the message from the Lord.

Following the message did not benefit God. One might even question whether it benefited Hagar or her son Ishmael. However, Hagar and her descendants received God’s blessing of “descendants too numerous to count,” all because she listened and acted upon that message.

Action

Sometimes God asks us to do something that may not make sense. While none of us may be asked to live the life of a martyr, what is God asking of you that may seem to run counter to the values of modern society? Are you prepared to listen and act?