8 November 2016 - a people as his own

[ Today's Readings ]

Jesus Christ gave himself "to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good." This means that we need to live consistently with sound doctrine. We need to show the world self-control so much so that we can't be criticized and we don't scandalize our opponents. We can't  proclaim the gospel on the one hand and live in a way that is no better than the world on the other. We need to have so much integrity and dignity that even those who oppose us won't be able to find anything bad to say about us. Difficult? Perhaps. Impossible? Absolutely not. Jesus Christ gave himself for this. He himself cleanses us and prepares us for it. He is the one who inspires in us the desire. 

Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.

We are unprofitable servants when it comes down to it. We don't ever work so as to put the master in our debt. Rather even the work itself is his gift. Even our self-control doesn't come from self. Jesus gives us this gift so that we can actually be the people he intends us to be, his own people, eager to do what is good.

When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
‘We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do.’

Let's embrace the call to live consistently with the truth. The truth is that Jesus is offering us the grace to live in a way that pleases to him. So let us live in that way. Let us be eager for it. The hope of the appearance of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ can inspire us and draw us toward the salvation of the just that comes from only from the LORD.