FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
OUR THEME FOR 2020
(Part 58)
ACTING ON GOD’S WORDS – 2
July 13, 2020
Today’s readings:
Isaiah 1:10-17
Psalm 50:8-23
Matthew 10:34-11:1
To be built on the Rock that is Christ, we need to listen to and act on the words of Jesus. And God is always there trying to instruct us, especially trying to reach a people steeped in darkness and sin in today’s world. “Hear the word of the Lord, princes of Sodom! Listen to the instruction of our God, people of Gomorrah!” (Is 1:10). So what is God telling us? How are we to act?
God first of all tells us what is not pleasing to Him.
Among others, first are external acts of sacrifice offered with blood-stained hands. “What do I care for the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord. Trample my courts no more! To bring offerings is useless; incense is an abomination to me. Your hands are full of blood!” (Is 1:11a,13a,15c). Think of the following:
- Catholic politicians who claim to be devout, who go to Mass and Holy Communion, but who are rabidly pro-abortion.
- Catholic government officials who murder drug addicts in cold blood.
- Catholic doctors in Catholic hospitals who participate in euthanasia.
- Catholic nurses who assist in abortions.
Second is a lack of discipline, conveniently not acting on or even discarding God’s words. “You hate discipline; you cast my words behind you!” (Ps 50:17). This includes being with thieves and adulterers, having deceptive speech, engaging in calumny and slander (Ps 50:18-20). For Catholics and Catholic communities including the Church herself, consider the following:
- There are those who look to political correctness and so do not discipline sinners who are into serious wrongdoing.
- There are those who tell half-truths and outright lies,1 not having the discipline of being a child of God and not be an offspring of the father of lies.
- There are those who cause disunity in the body by speaking against brethren and often create opposing factions, not having the discipline of working for unity within the body.
So what is pleasing to God? What do we need to do? How do we act on God’s words?
First, we are to wash our hands of the misdeeds of evil. “Wash yourselves clean! Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes; cease doing evil” (Is 1:16). This is about righteousness.
Second, we are to do good. “Learn to do good.” (Is 1:17a). And basically this is about justice, giving to the other person what is his due. “Make justice your aim” (Is 1:17b). To God is due worship. “Offer praise as your sacrifice to God” (Ps 50:14a). To fellow human beings is due a life of dignity as a child of God. Thus, whenever we can, we “redress the wronged” (Is 1:17c). And we have a particular option for the poor, for the least among our brethren. “Hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow.” (Is 1:17d).
Now, when we have learned and are striving to live out righteousness and justice, then God can use us as His instruments for His purposes in the world. God sends us forth as His witnesses, as proclaimers of the gospel, as His apostles. This is a great privilege. Jesus says, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” (Mt 10:40). We are representatives of Jesus and ambassadors of God. As such, we need to be built on the Rock that is Christ. We need to listen to and act on Jesus’ words.
What does Jesus tell us? And how can we be worthy of his call.
First, Christ is our number one priority. “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Mt 10:37). Family of course is of great importance, but oftentimes Christians give family as an excuse or reason for not being able to do more for God. In reality, when we give God our time, talent and treasure, He is the One who helps take care of our family, and provides whatever we need.
Second, we are to embrace our cross. “Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me.” (Mt 10:38). To serve God is a great challenge, and will entail hardships and suffering. But the cross is salvific. Rather than not desiring it or trying to avoid it, we are to embrace it, knowing that the cross is our way to greater holiness.
Third, we are to give our all, even our very lives. “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Mt 10:39). Jesus gave us his all. We in turn are to give him our all. We are to hold nothing back, even our very lives. But in truth, when we keep our lives to ourselves, we are on our own, and we suffer the dire consequences of that. But when we offer ourselves to God and to His work, then we discover the life that truly counts, which is life in Him.
With the above in place, then we can really be used by God. We are sent forth as apostles, we proclaim the Kingdom, and we engage in spiritual warfare as holy warriors. We follow after Jesus himself, who said, “I have come to bring not peace but the sword.” (Mt 10:34b). The sword of the Spirit is the word of God.2 When it is proclaimed, people will need to choose, to be with Jesus or not. This will even divide families (Mt 10:35-36). But remember, we are to love Jesus more than our immediate family members.
To be a disciple is very challenging and demanding. We need to be founded on the Rock. We need to be intimately connected with Jesus. We need to be steeped in prayer. We must be careful that we do not lose our connection with God, due to hypocritical sacrifice and lack of godly discipline. We do not want to hear God say to us, “When you spread out your hands, I will close my eyes to you; though you pray the more, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood!” (Is 1:15). So we live out our calling. We fulfill our covenant. We honor our God. “Fulfill your vows to the Most High. Then call on me on the day of distress; I will rescue you, and you shall honor me.” (Ps 50:14b-15).
“When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.” (Mt 11:1). Jesus has given us his commands. Jesus has shown us the way. Now let us act on his words and go forth as his holy warriors to proclaim the Kingdom.
1 A half-truth is more deadly than an outright lie. An outright lie can be found out and immediately dismissed, but a half-truth is based on a truth that is twisted to put forth a lie. It is thus more convincing and much harder to dispute and overturn.
2 See Ephesians 6:17.
