11 July 2016 - distant second

[ Today's Readings ]

We need to put Jesus first and let nothing come before him in our lives.

He wants our whole hearts. This extends be the pious practices of sacrifices and assemblies. Going to Church on Sunday isn't enough. Doing all the churchy things we can think of still isn't enough if they don't come from a heart surrendered to Jesus. There is no doing we can do to make it right. We simply have to put him first.

The enemy of the good in our lives usually isn't the evil. It is usually the lesser good. It is hard to think of family as a lesser good but even this can become an idol that keeps us from God. God designed the family to help us to know who he is in the mystery of his Trinitarian essence. He designed the family to help us know what love is. The Father in heaven is the one who loans the name of father to all fathers on the earth. He created the very idea of the family. But apart from him it loses its meaning. We can no longer even recognize it or understand the reason for it.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

The problem is that we do love these lesser goods. And sometimes it hurts to choose Jesus rather than them. But it is the only way to find life.

Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

When we do put Jesus first we find ourselves more capable of love and generosity. We are able to receive those whom Jesus sends to us, the prophets and righteous men. When we put ourselves first we don't have the room in our hearts to receive them. Justice becomes our aim. We redress the wronged, hear the orphan's plea, and defend the widow. We give cold water to the little ones who thirst. None of this works when we are first. But it happens by God's supernatural power in us when he reigns in our lives.

If we ask, God will show us where we put others first. He will invite us to let him reign in our hearts. Far from ruining our relationships he will instead bring them the proper balance. He will make us thrive.

I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes.
He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me;
and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.