Friday of Week 10 in Ordinary Time (Year I)
2 Corinthians 4:7-15 | Psalm 115(116):10-11,15-18 | Matthew 5:27-32
Always, wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body. (2 Corinthians 4:10)
We carry in our body the death of Jesus…
the condemnation of others who do not share our faith,
the jealousy of those who really want to see us fall,
the cruelty of physical and emotional abuse by others, and self-inflicted harm through our own bad habits,
…so that the life of Jesus may also be seen…
the steadfastness of our belief,
the determination to do what is right in the sight of God,
the freedom to shed the shackles of sin and temptation,
if we so choose.
I’m reminded of President John F. Kennedy’s famous moon speech, but the words I hear in my head are slightly different:
We choose to do God’s will! We choose to do God’s will in this life and do the related things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win. Pater, fiat voluntas tua! (Father, Your will be done!)
How beautiful the will of God, that He created us with the supreme gift of free will.
How beautiful the examplar of Jesus Christ, who suffered all our human frailties, yet steadfastly aligned His will to the Father’s, always and everywhere.
How beautiful our own purpose, when we first discern God’s purpose in us, and make it so.
Amen.