Tuesday of Week 11 in Ordinary Time (Year I)
2 Corinthians 8:1-9 | Psalm 145(146):2,5-9 | Matthew 5:43-48
what was quite unexpected, they offered their own selves first to God and, under God, to us.. (2 Corinthians 8:5)
There’s a slogan that I still remember from my childhood days:
First to Bata, then to school.
I’m sure it played no small role in making that shoe company the first stop for busy parents trying to get their kids prepared for the school year.
Today’s scripture passage tells us of a parallel with the Christians in Macedonia. They passed over all that “I am for Paul, ” I am for Cephas” nonsense that the Corinthians themselves stumbled over (1 Corinthians 1:12), and instead dedicated themselves directly to the service of God.
And it was through that service to God that they served the needs of their brethren in turn, not for personal acclaim or glory.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
I sent my Apple laptop in for servicing yesterday. Since I’d gone through the proper channels and placed a service call first, arranging for a time slot and showing up at the appointed hour, I was given priority over others who’d just walked in off the street with their broken products.
Can we do the same in our daily lives? Can we dedicate ourselves first to God, preparing ourselves mind and heart, making right all that we can?
Can we make time to come before the Blessed Sacrament, contemplating His boundless love, both in His offering up of His only Son, and in Jesus’ willingness to suffer and die an ignominious death for all our sakes?
Then, by seeing Him anew in our fellow human beings, can we not serve them with willing hearts and minds too?
Then, and only then, can we claim in all honesty and faith:
First to God, then to man.
Amen.