 |
| Image by Denis Doukhan from Pixabay |
Day ten at Fish Eaters.
Day ten at The Catholic Company.
Today's reading from Imitation of Christ makes an explicit reference to religious life:
What return shall I make to You for this grace? For it is not given every man to forsake all things, to renounce the world, and undertake the religious life.
Every Catholic should consider a vocation to religious life (or the priesthood). It is a higher calling, to forsake all for God, but it's acceptable to serve God in other ways. It's important to remember all is a gift from God and that at least means gratitude for those gifts:
Truly beyond the power of words is the sweetness of contemplation You give to those who love You. To me You have shown the sweetness of Your charity, especially in having made me when I did not exist, in having brought me back to serve You when I had gone far astray from You, in having commanded me to love You.
How should I build up the kingdom of God? How can I help Christ in setting the world on fire with love? Tomorrow's Gospel reading for Sunday is about the parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30). We've been given gifts (talents) and the master expects some return for those talents. In all that we do, we should consider our acts with the final end in view. Sanctity and the building up of the kingdom is not merely the task for religious and priests. Laity play their part too, albeit in different ways.
"You have shown mercy to Your servant beyond all hope, and have exhibited
grace and friendship beyond his deserving. What return shall I make to
You for this grace?"
No comments:
Post a Comment