Weapons for Righteousness

Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Brothers and sisters: Sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires. And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness, but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness.   Romans 6:12-13

“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”  Luke 12:48

Piety

Let us arise, then, at last, for the Scripture stirs us up, saying, "Now is the hour for us to rise from sleep of sin." Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue

Study

The Boy Scout motto is “Be prepared.”  Maybe they got inspired to make it such by the Good News according to Saint Luke for he writes that “You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Luke emphasizes for his readers the importance of being faithful to the instructions of Jesus.  He also cautions his readers against counting on an unknown delay in when Jesus will return.  If we count on the delay and act irresponsibly, we may be caught unprepared for the final judgement.

While Luke is writing about the unknown future, he cautions that we should handle it like the present.  St. Paul, in Romans, issues a similar warning but is more focused on how we present ourselves in the present time.  He cautions not to give in to sin but to save ourselves to stay in a right relationship with God.

The bottom line:  we must renounce own will by taking up the strong, bright weapons of obedience to do battle against sin for Christ.

Action

Was this also yesterday’s message?  Certainly.  Will this also be tomorrow’s message?   You bet.  Jesus is consistent in his life affirming teachings to his disciples in his day and to us today and to our children after us. “So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.” (James 4:17)

What weapons will you have to use when the thief comes in the night? Will those weapons of righteousness be ready to use?  Are you practicing with them daily or are you falling into bad habits thinking that you have more time before they will be put to use?

As you sharpen the sword of your piety, study and action, you will be preparing for the battle of life. Christ is, after all, counting on you. Are you counting on Christ?