Without Cost

July 10, 2008

Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

The more I called them, the farther they went from me, Sacrificing to the Baals and burning incense to idols… Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, who took them in my arms; I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I fostered them like one who raises an infant to his cheeks. (Hosea 11:2,4)

Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Matthew 10:8

Piety

Let us pray: Generous Father, sometimes we read your inspired words and see that you ask us to do some very difficult tasks. Yet other times, you show us how to walk in your footsteps by tackling some very easy chores…easy that is if we put our self down and lift others up. Help us to be a freely giving people, answering “Yes” to your call and to the needs around us as your loving Son, Jesus Christ, has taught us. Amen.


Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/071008.shtml

May people are attracted to the image of Jesus as the “good shepherd.” In fact, he is even more gentle than that image portrays.

The changing image of the Lord is seen in Hosea. Earlier in this book, we had a picture of a displeased and angry Lord. However, Hosea is now revealing the gentle, loving and inviting Lord. A Lord who is calling us. A Lord who is drawing us near with love. A Lord who is teaching us to walk in his ways and holding us close to his cheek.

All that love freely given and what does he get in return? A people who resist his message. A people who lean away. A people preoccupied with their own self-interest. A people distracted by others.

Into this fractured relationship, Jesus sets down some Rules for Life, kind of like a Robert-Fulgum-esque All I Really Need to Know in Life I Learned from the Gospel of St. Matthew.

1. Care for those who are sick.
2. Honor and respect those who have died. Raise them and their memory up in your love.
3. Cleanse those who are poisoned by the world.
4. Drive out the demons who want to invade your life.
5. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
6. Do not be burdened with too many material possessions
7. Provide a fair wage for those who work for you.
8. Watch the company you keep. In your sojourns, look for a worthy person, and stay with her.
9. As you enter a house and greet those you meet, spread the sign of peace.
10. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it.

This list is a pre-cursor to the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. Yet we don’t need any Top Ten List or slab of marble to carve. Let’s just remember the words which bring all of this advice together. Love you neighbor as yourself.

Action

Without cost you are to give.

We are asked not to expect reciprocity. Much gets done in this life because someone calls in a favor that someone else “owes” them. If you scratch my back, then I will scratch yours. After all, who doesn’t like to get their back scratched?

Without cost. Reflect for a minute on all you get that costs you nothing.

We wake up in the morning and take in a deep breath of fresh air. There is no flow meter on the abundant supply of oxygen. What do we do to make sure that the air is kept clean?

We walk outside and enjoy abundant sunshine and refreshing rain…two essential qualities that assure happy and prosperous life, beautiful flowers and plentiful crops. Just think of how grumpy we are when we endure days on end of bad weather and in the long, dark winters waiting for the return of the spring.

What else do you get freely? What can you give freely in return? In the spirit of Matthew 11:8, let us “give” thanks and forgiveness freely this week.