You Are Called To Be A Blessing
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
“In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.”Ps. 138
The Lord is the Son of God, the one who came to show us the path to follow in order to be children of God.
“He called us to reproduce the image of His Son so that He might be the firstborn among many.”Romans 8:29
He came to be our salvation, to show us the way to follow, to be our light and guide. For this reason, He also calls us to be light and role models.
“You are the light of the world; let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”.Matthew 5:13ff
Many of us seek the easy path—that is, allowing ourselves to be carried away by the tendencies of our selfish disorder: pride, lust, laziness, and so on. Jesus clearly taught us that this path leads to perdition, and many follow it. In contrast, narrow is the way that leads to salvation, and few choose it.
As Catholic, do you live your vocation to be a role model? Can you say, as St. Paul did, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”? Are you a light to those around you? Can others see your good deeds and recognize God’s work in your life? “From the heart of those who believe in me will flow rivers of living water.” Can others see the fruits of the Spirit in you? “Those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” Do you let yourself be guided by the Spirit? Only then are you truly walking the path of life, which is Christ.
Many may think they are following Christ just because they practice a religion, but this can be a deception. Christ came to give us a new life, new values, a metanoia—a change of mind—a new heart and a new spirit, so that we no longer live guided by our flesh, which leads us to sin, nor by the pagan world, but by the Spirit, who leads us to life.
For this reason, Christians should not allow themselves to bear bitter fruits, for God has planted the seed of His Kingdom within us, His Holy Spirit, so that His fruits may grow in us. It is up to us to nurture that life of the Spirit so that it matures and bears fruit. This is how we become a blessing to others, ceasing to be sterile and unfruitful for them—or worse, a burden or a source of trouble.
We must not allow ourselves to bear bad fruits, which St. Paul refers to as the works of the flesh, and which Jesus describes as what comes from within and defiles:
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person.”Matthew 15:19
These are essentially the capital sins, led by pride, which is rebellion and disobedience to God.
We cannot let ourselves be ruled by that ego, which is the worst tyrant both for others and for ourselves. Only by being guided by the Spirit will we bring the blessing of love to all, as Jesus and the saints did. “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Is 6:1-2a, 3-8/Ps 138:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 7-8 (1c)/1 Cor 15:1-11 or 15:3-8, 11/Lk 5:1-11
Monday: Gn 1:1-19/Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c//Mk 6:53-56
Tuesday: Gn 1:20-2:4a/Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9/Mk 7:1-13
Wednesday: Gn 2:4b-9, 15-17/Ps 104:1-2a, 27-28, 29bc-30/ Mk 7:14-23
Thursday: Gn 2:18-25/Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5/Mk 7:24-30
Friday: Gn 3:1-8/Ps 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7/Mk 7:31-37
Saturday: Gn 3:9-24/Ps 90:2, 3-4abc, 5-6, 12-13/Mk 8:1-10
Next Sunday: Jer 17:5-8/Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6, (40:5a)/1 Cor 15:12, 16-20/Lk 6:17, 20-26
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time; World Marriage Day
Monday: St. Scholastica, Virgin
Tuesday: Our Lady of Lourdes
Friday: Sts. Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop; Valentine’s Day
Next Sunday: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time
