What am i reading for today's mass? Of slaves and obligations, of masters and expectations? The Jesuits give a great explanation of this passage from Luke 17:7-10.
God need never be grateful to us for anything we do for him. No matter how much we do for him, we can never put him in our debt. Everything we give to God (or to God through others) is simply giving back to him a small portion of what he has already given us. It is well said in Preface IV for Masses on Weekdays: “You have no need of our praise, yet our desire to thank you is itself your gift. Our prayer of thanksgiving adds nothing to your greatness, but makes us grow in your grace.”
God can never be in our debt. He can never be under any obligation to us. Perhaps that is what some of the Pharisees thought. They felt that, because they kept the Law perfectly, God owed them salvation. (http://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/O2323G/)
God owes me nothing. Life is a gift. For that i give thanks.
And how can i give thanks?
Ah, the greatest question of life, me thinks.
How can i live in a way to praise my life?!
To be joyous, loving and helpful to my neighbour for starters: when my house is in order, then i can receive guests. When i am compassionate, only then can i honestly and truly help another find joy. First i must walk the path, before i can lead others.
And that's why Jesus i worth following, if only that i may realise true joy in this my life, given without strings, without obligations. This is worthy of praise, no?
Deo gratias.
God need never be grateful to us for anything we do for him. No matter how much we do for him, we can never put him in our debt. Everything we give to God (or to God through others) is simply giving back to him a small portion of what he has already given us. It is well said in Preface IV for Masses on Weekdays: “You have no need of our praise, yet our desire to thank you is itself your gift. Our prayer of thanksgiving adds nothing to your greatness, but makes us grow in your grace.”
God can never be in our debt. He can never be under any obligation to us. Perhaps that is what some of the Pharisees thought. They felt that, because they kept the Law perfectly, God owed them salvation. (http://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/O2323G/)
God owes me nothing. Life is a gift. For that i give thanks.
And how can i give thanks?
Ah, the greatest question of life, me thinks.
How can i live in a way to praise my life?!
To be joyous, loving and helpful to my neighbour for starters: when my house is in order, then i can receive guests. When i am compassionate, only then can i honestly and truly help another find joy. First i must walk the path, before i can lead others.
And that's why Jesus i worth following, if only that i may realise true joy in this my life, given without strings, without obligations. This is worthy of praise, no?
Deo gratias.
No comments:
Post a Comment