Daily Retreat 06/18/07
2007 Jun 18 Mon
2 Cor 6:1-10/Ps 97(98):1. 2b. 3ab. 3cd-4/Mt 5:38-42
From today's readings: "We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.... The Lord has made known His salvation.... When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.... "
Receiving Grace in Vain
A generous couple once snagged me after Mass to present me with a complimentary ticket to an upcoming theater presentation. It was a show I certainly wanted to see, and I also let the couple know how much I appreciated their thinking of me. But despite my intention to go, since I had some rather busy days before the opening night, I managed to misplace the ticket, and even forget completely about the performance until two days after the event. Sadly, that was a gift that I received in vain....
Among the many blessings God gives us, quite a number of these are oriented to the future, as, for instance, when the Lord inspires you or me with a particular idea for a timely act of charity, like going to visit an elderly sick neighbor or relative. But often, even when we have the best of intentions, we get caught up in other concerns, and then the news eventually comes that the sick neighbor has moved or passed away, and we realize that the inspiration for that timely act of charity was a grace of God received in vain....
Addressing this terrible tendency to procrastinate, Paul urges us "not to receive the grace of God in vain!" Most of us can probably count many moments when we've done just that , so what can be done about it now? A missed show is a disappointment, but not likely a tragedy. A missed opportunity to bring cheer and comfort to a needy neighbor is a clear failure in Christian charity, but not likely sufficient cause for damnation. But if I repeatedly missed every show, I could hardly expect that others would still consider me a worthy recipient for another complimentary ticket. And if we continually shrug off God's inspirations, our souls will inevitably become progressively less responsive to God's grace in general, to the peril of our salvation!
What, then, is the alternative? Simple - to decide not to receive the grace of God in vain! For it is a new grace granted now to us that we can take past failures and learn from our mistakes, and thus stop procrastinating in responding full heartedly to the prompting of grace, because, as St. Paul reminds us, "now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation!"
2 Cor 6:1-10/Ps 97(98):1. 2b. 3ab. 3cd-4/Mt 5:38-42
From today's readings: "We appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.... The Lord has made known His salvation.... When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well.... "
Receiving Grace in Vain
A generous couple once snagged me after Mass to present me with a complimentary ticket to an upcoming theater presentation. It was a show I certainly wanted to see, and I also let the couple know how much I appreciated their thinking of me. But despite my intention to go, since I had some rather busy days before the opening night, I managed to misplace the ticket, and even forget completely about the performance until two days after the event. Sadly, that was a gift that I received in vain....
Among the many blessings God gives us, quite a number of these are oriented to the future, as, for instance, when the Lord inspires you or me with a particular idea for a timely act of charity, like going to visit an elderly sick neighbor or relative. But often, even when we have the best of intentions, we get caught up in other concerns, and then the news eventually comes that the sick neighbor has moved or passed away, and we realize that the inspiration for that timely act of charity was a grace of God received in vain....
Addressing this terrible tendency to procrastinate, Paul urges us "not to receive the grace of God in vain!" Most of us can probably count many moments when we've done just that , so what can be done about it now? A missed show is a disappointment, but not likely a tragedy. A missed opportunity to bring cheer and comfort to a needy neighbor is a clear failure in Christian charity, but not likely sufficient cause for damnation. But if I repeatedly missed every show, I could hardly expect that others would still consider me a worthy recipient for another complimentary ticket. And if we continually shrug off God's inspirations, our souls will inevitably become progressively less responsive to God's grace in general, to the peril of our salvation!
What, then, is the alternative? Simple - to decide not to receive the grace of God in vain! For it is a new grace granted now to us that we can take past failures and learn from our mistakes, and thus stop procrastinating in responding full heartedly to the prompting of grace, because, as St. Paul reminds us, "now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation!"
posted by FrPitstick | 6/17/2007
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