You have turned aside from the way,
and have caused many to falter by your instruction. (Mal 2:8)
It's not about the grandeur of one's clothes or one's rank in the community. Funny, even common sense tells us these goals in life are shallow and if taken to the extreme ruinous. So God comes to man once again to reiterate His message, give it a more personal touch through the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Mt 23:11-12)
Not an appealing message to those in designer clothing with front row seats.
But then, on the road they travel, a road which leads to personal gain, separation and the growth of ego, a road leading away from God, from unity with all mankind, on this road there shall be much suffering. Yet funny enough, for people raised in a capitalistic, Western, individualistic, goal-driven, rat race, cut-throat, what-have-you environment, Christ's message will cause much suffering too! Give up my seat at the front? Do you know how much i had to pay for it? Do you know how many strings i had to pull? How many favours called in? The little, fearful ego needs to be first in line, but Christ's message goes against that, entirely in the opposite direction. Yet acting in this way, in humbleness, the suffering is fleeting and short-lived because the rewards are immediate and bring one closer to God, closer to one's neighbour, friend, father. And once felt, it can never be forgotten. Only refused.
Oremus:
I offer a prayer to a patient who was extremely ill, got better and is now again extremely ill. The hospital team has done as best it can. Acceptance and patience is called for once again. What hope that was found has now been replaced by much grief. One feels so powerless as the human mind deteriorates beyond one's understanding. The patient has transformed into someone else: unrecognisable behaviour, she is lost somewhere to us. I pray she knows peace. I pray too, that all those involved in her care can find inner peace and patience, that despite the mental illness we can still see the mother she was and the human being she still is. Amen.
and have caused many to falter by your instruction. (Mal 2:8)
In classic Old Testament style Malachi tells his brethren
that God is pissed off at many of his chosen peoples. To publicly reserve one's
finest sacrificial ram for God, then show up at the blood altar with a lesser
one ... who's trying to fool whom? The adage 'to bite one's nose to spite one's
face' applies here, me thinks. There is no fooling God. Deceiving others might
make one rich or extend power or fame, but at what cost? The prophet tells us
that we are not the only ones hurt. Causing others to falter is even more reprehensible,
like a teacher, father, friend who lives a life not worthy of example, corrupt
and infectious, they are completely lost and find themselves leading others
down the verysame path. Reading Malachi one gets the impression that Israel has
missed the point of God's Law.
One's priorities are wrong. It's not about the grandeur of one's clothes or one's rank in the community. Funny, even common sense tells us these goals in life are shallow and if taken to the extreme ruinous. So God comes to man once again to reiterate His message, give it a more personal touch through the Christ.
The greatest among you must be your servant.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Mt 23:11-12)
Not an appealing message to those in designer clothing with front row seats.
But then, on the road they travel, a road which leads to personal gain, separation and the growth of ego, a road leading away from God, from unity with all mankind, on this road there shall be much suffering. Yet funny enough, for people raised in a capitalistic, Western, individualistic, goal-driven, rat race, cut-throat, what-have-you environment, Christ's message will cause much suffering too! Give up my seat at the front? Do you know how much i had to pay for it? Do you know how many strings i had to pull? How many favours called in? The little, fearful ego needs to be first in line, but Christ's message goes against that, entirely in the opposite direction. Yet acting in this way, in humbleness, the suffering is fleeting and short-lived because the rewards are immediate and bring one closer to God, closer to one's neighbour, friend, father. And once felt, it can never be forgotten. Only refused.
Oremus:
I offer a prayer to a patient who was extremely ill, got better and is now again extremely ill. The hospital team has done as best it can. Acceptance and patience is called for once again. What hope that was found has now been replaced by much grief. One feels so powerless as the human mind deteriorates beyond one's understanding. The patient has transformed into someone else: unrecognisable behaviour, she is lost somewhere to us. I pray she knows peace. I pray too, that all those involved in her care can find inner peace and patience, that despite the mental illness we can still see the mother she was and the human being she still is. Amen.
Deo gratias.
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