+ One of the most beloved Benedictine monks in Ireland in the 19th
century was Columba Marmion, OSB. He was an all around sort guy, with
a great mind and an ability to preach, teach and inspire. He is one of the
major patrons of the Joyful Servants of
the Cross. About 10 years ago or so, we read through one of his classic
books “Christ the Ideal of the Monk” – a couple times – short section by short
section – as part of our Midday Prayer time – took about a year and a half to
do this. Though written in French and translated into Irish / English – it was
quite difficult to understand at times – but we obediently and faithfully waded
through it for our own spiritual growth and welfare.
One of Marmion’s principal
teaching was the “capital importance”
– a term he liked to use - to study and
believe the fact that we are “adopted children of God.” We know this to be
a fact from our Catechism days – we know this a part of the Baptismal
Initiation into the Family of God – the Church: but Marmion had a way of
zeroing in everything on this amazing, awesome and fantastic reality: WE BELONG TO GOD’S FAMILY – GOD IS OUR
FATHER, JESUS IS OUR BROTHER, AND WE in our baptisms ARE ALL REAL TRUE HONEST
TO GOSH BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
If we truly lived all day long
with this concept and reality firmly implanted in our spiritual genetic makeup –
we would treat each other, ourselves and all we do in a very different positive
sort of way! We are all connected!
The Letter of St. Paul to the
Ephesians in our first reading today encourages us to treat each other as
fellow children of God: being kind to one
another, compassionate, forgiving, being full of thanksgiving for all that our
Father in heaven does for us – living as CHILDREN OF LIGHT – because God is
LIGHT, he is LOVE, he is JOY!
In the gospel passage Jesus is
trying to get the leader of the synagogue to stop being a bully – which is what
trying to stop Jesus from curing on the Sabbath day was about. Yes, some
children are nice, but the children of the world, can be mean, vindictive, and
downright bullies. He wins the argument, but whether the leader changed his
tune was another story.
Life is short – and is meant
to be a “training camp” – for eternal placement and life. We will spend
eternity somewhere – this is a fact –
how we suit up to “family of God life” is critically important – of “capital
importance” as Abbot Marmion would say!
May we live today as truly
humble, happy, harmony loving heirs of heaven, adopted children of the Father, and
be on the lookout as to how we can go out of our comfort zone and help and for
real brother and sister in need!
Behave
like God as his very dear children!
No comments:
Post a Comment