The Christian life is not something we can get used to, really. As long as we are in the world we are pilgrims in a foreign land. What Jesus is teaching us to leave behind are the vices that make us feel like we are more at home in this life than we would be in Heaven. We are constantly challenged to set our sights on the greatest gifts that can only come from God. It is certainly by His grace that we can realize every day how whatever we depend upon in this life will pass away. The habit of prayer is so important because, even if it seems unnatural at times, it trains us to let go and detach from our worldly existence. Without that detachment, we cannot experience the true gift of freedom because we continue to fret about things that in the end cannot matter because they won’t exist in eternity. “Help us know the shortness of our life, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” (Ps 90:12)
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
A pearl is very strong and hard. It is a beautiful treasure to behold, and it is symbolic of the revelation we have received. The Word of God is this precious pearl, and our faith enables us to become stewards of that Word. Distributing the Word does not come with any risks for the Word itself. Nothing can diminish the value of the Word, nothing can destroy it. However, we may risk something by spreading the Word – we could be trampled underfoot by swine or chewed up by the dogs who hold the Word in contempt. Jesus wants us to be aware of that danger, “like sheep among wolves.” We shouldn’t be afraid that someone else might destroy the Word or its value – they cannot. We should be aware, however, that living our lives with and for the Word might put us in dangerous situations. We will have to suffer for the Word, but there is no need to continue putting the Word before those who openly despise and oppose it. Grace comes to help a nature wounded by pride – it urges those souls to continue seeking truth.
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time
The Lord’s prayer should be prayed daily. It shouldn’t be recited without thinking about the words or their meaning, and its meaning is not something deep and hidden. If we adopt not just the words of the prayer but the attitudes it expresses, we give our Father the space He needs in our hearts to sanctify us. Central to this prayer is devotion to the Eucharist, that daily super-substantial bread that nourishes our spiritual life. By desiring to receive that bread daily, we daily desiring communion with Christ. We cannot be in communion with Christ if our lives are full of wickedness and sin, so the daily reception of communion is a safeguard for our conscience against sin. We should expect that as long as we are alive and praying this prayer, the sins we ask to be forgiven from are real. We will stop sinning when we die – and our neighbors will stop sinning against us when they die. In this life, communion with Christ, asking for and giving forgiveness, and praying for help against evil and temptation are the essential components of daily life and growth in holiness.