Do the Works You Did at First

Do the Works You Did at First

November 19, 2012

Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

"I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves Apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors.  Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary.  Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first.  Realize how far you have fallen.  Repent, and do the works you did at first.  Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place, unless you repent."  Revelation 2:2-5

"Son of David, have pity on me!"  Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"  He replied, "Lord, please let me see."  Luke 18:38-41

Piety

Christ Has No Body
Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours. Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Study

Sunday was the Rite of Acceptance in our parish for adults who seek baptism or full communion with the Catholic Church.  During the ceremony, they were blessed by Fr. Barkett. “Receive this sign of the cross on your forehead, It is Christ Himself who strengthens with this sign of His love, Learn to know and follow Him.” Then their sponsors made the sign of the cross on their forehead, eyes, ears, lips, shoulders, hands, heart and feet. 

In some ways, these people are like the blind beggar of today's Gospel.  They feel something empty and want to fill it up.  They seek the fullness of a relationship with Jesus and the community that witnesses to them.  They are seekers and they notice a lamp stand in our parish.

Action

Do we have the zeal that these potential new members of our community bring to the Mass?  Or are we like the people in today's first reading -- have we lost our edge?  Maybe we need to renew our rights and responsibilities of acceptance into the community like these seekers.  Maybe then we will realize that we truly have the only hands that Jesus has left in this world.  Christ has no body but yours and mine.  Christ has nobody but you and I.  Jesus, Son of God, have pity on me.