25 May 2019 - truly free

Today's Readings

(Audio)

Saint Mary Magdalene de' Pazzi

Saint Bede the Venerable

Saint Gregory VII

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own;
but because you do not belong to the world,
and I have chosen you out of the world,
the world hates you.

There was formerly a cultural consensus that shamed the Western world into not admitting its hatred of Christianity. But as that consensus is broken we do begin to see that the things we profess are contrary to the values of the world. We experience animosity from the world as we stand against those values.

If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.

We are already seeing actions against Christians in the name of so-called healthcare and equality. But let us be clear. It isn't any of the specific moral issues that is key. The root is whether our freedom is meant to be used for arbitrary self-creation or for the service of the Father. Jesus reveals what freedom is meant to be. In following him we are meant to reveal it as well. If we are not yet experiencing persecution we need to look at ourselves and how we're using our freedom.

To us he is the censure of our thoughts;
merely to see him is a hardship for us,
Because his life is not like that of others,
and different are his ways.
He judges us debased;
he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure.
He calls blest the destiny of the righteous
and boasts that God is his Father (see Wisdom 2:14-16)

God asks only that we use our freedom in accord with his purpose for us. He asks us to live in the only way that can bring the true happiness for which he created us. Obedience sounds burdensome at first. But through it we learn to delight in God just as we see Jesus himself delights in the Father. Once we learn this lesson we become effective missionaries. Our lips proclaim the gospel, and our lives reflect what we say.

When he had seen the vision,
we sought passage to Macedonia at once, 
concluding that God had called us to proclaim the Good News to them.

Let us not be afraid to be what God asks us to be. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.