We have been living in uncertain times for a while. Our society is an exact contradiction to what we are taught in our Catholic faith. “What’s in it for me?” vs. “How do I help others?” “How do I become rich?” vs. “How do I share my riches and give money back to God and His Church?”
Most of us struggle daily with making good choices, not only for ourselves, but for those around us. Jesus was very specific in His message to us. “Love one another as I have loved you.” Do we do that? Do we feed those who are hungry? Do we clothe those who are naked? Would we lay down our lives for someone else, even those we do not know? Most likely, our answer to these questions is “no” and sometimes the right thing is simple. Can you buy an extra can of food and drop it off at church once a week? Can you donate the clothes you no longer wear instead of trying to sell them back to make some extra money? Can you stand up for your faith when you are presented with the situation to do so? In the Gospel this week, Christ tells us He will give us “wisdom in speaking” that all those who debate our stance will be powerless to resist or refute.
We are called to be like Christ in all things. My challenge for you this week is to find one additional situation where you can be Christ to someone else. Buy and donate a canned good or paper product. Pray with someone else, especially when they ask you to pray for them. Next week begins our Advent season. Could you grab one more tag off the giving tree than you usually do, or grab one if you have yet to experience this type of giving? Being like Jesus in this day in age is hard, but when you experience what you are capable of as a disciple of Christ, the possibilities are endless.
