[ Today's Readings ]
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also everyone for those of others.
We really shrink back when we hear this, don't we? The ego rebels just a little bit even when we know that these words are true. Put others first? But that means we're not first. And that doesn't feel good to the ego. We're interested in doing good mainly in an ecosystem where there is some sort of ultimate balance. We invite people to the banquet who can eventually reward the fact that we did so.
We can overcome this selfish instinct. There is encouragement in Christ! There is solace in love! There is participation in the Spirit! Compassion and mercy are real and true. We just need to have the same mind as Paul. We need to be united in heart, thinking just the one thing which contains all of these. What is that one thing? Love! Love allows us to reach out when the ego pulls us inside ourselves. Love allows us to serve when there is nothing offered in return. Love becomes its own reward as we see those whom we love enriched. It doesn't give the ego time to be hurt because the ego can only be hurt when it has time to look at itself.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap,
so is my soul within me.
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