Thursday of the 5th Week of Eastertide
Acts 15:7-21 | Psalm 95(96):1-3,10 | John 15:9-11
instead of making things more difficult for pagans who turn to God, we send them a letter telling them merely to abstain from anything polluted by idols, from fornication, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. (Acts 15:19-20)
The Pharisees who converted to Christianity were still hamstrung by their previous faith, insisting to all new converts that circumcision was still mandatory, and all the old Mosaic laws were still in effect.
Even though Jesus clearly gave everyone a new covenant, one that moved away from their old mechanistic faith, these Pharisees were somehow unable to fathom a life without 600-odd strictures.
It’s as if they were trapped by the trappings of their old faith.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
How do we live as Catholics?
Are we hemmed in by the letter of Catholic “law”, blindly observing fasts and abstinence without giving a thought to the underlying purpose?
Or do we take time to ponder Jesus’ new commandment to “love one another as I have loved you”, and reflect on how that should come alive in our daily living?
Do we tell ourselves, “aiyah, so simple; I’m a vegan, so I’m already abstaining every day already, no need to do anything special man!”
Or do we instead find something else that we love, to offer as our sacrifice? Perhaps our constant grumbling, or careless gossip, or daily unwillingness to greet the people who serve us?
Do we mistake the public signs of our “holiness” as the objective of our faith?
Or do we look inward daily, examining our faults, then look outward to see how these failings could be corrected in our lives?
Are we trapped by our Catholic trappings?
Lord, open our eyes, our minds and our hearts, to truly understand what it is You want from us—to love our neighbors as You loved us, without reservation or hesitation.
Help us be holy, not just on the surface, but deep inside where Your Spirit dwells.
Forgive us when we fail to love, and lift us up when we are pressed down by others’ hatred and anger.
Strengthen us in our conscious practice of the faith You bequeath us, so that others may see Your glory in what we say and do each day.
Amen.