Less Babbling, More Crossing

Friday of Week 6 in Ordinary Time (Year I)
The Seven Holy Founders of the Servite Order
Genesis 11:1-9 | Psalm 32(33):10-15 | Mark 8:34-9:1


Today’s reading recounts the vain efforts of early men in building the tower of Babel, in an attempt to be like the Creator who made them.

Contrast it with the gospel, in which Jesus exhorts us to take up our crosses and follow him.

It’s a clarion call to set aside our personal pride, to stop babbling about our triumphs and successes, as if they were solely attributable to our own strengths.

Instead, we are called to humble ourselves like Christ, to bear our personal crosses in quiet faith, and to walk His holy path of compassion and love, helping others along the way.

It’s not a new message, but it tends to get drowned out in the incessant noise of secular lusts and temptations, urging us to indulge ourselves in sensuous enjoyment, and to be heedless of the hurt we cause in the process.

“It’s all about you, baby!” we’re told over and over.

“It’s a dog-eat-dog world, so don’t get eaten!” as if no one else mattered.

As Lent approaches, we could use less secular babble, and more reflective cross-bearing.

Amen.

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