Word to the Wise
Monday, June 22, 2009 - St. Thomas More, layman and martyr
[Genesis 12:1-9 and Matthew 7:1-5]The Lord said to Abram: "Go forth from the land of your kinsfolk and from your father's house to a land that I will show you. I will make of you a great nation......
Those words begin a story that continues to this day! Jews, Christians and Muslims all claim this moment as the founding moment of their faith! (Yes, yes, I know there are eleven whole chapters of Genesis before this!) This is the moment in "history" when God decided to take a more proactive role and to choose a group of humans from all other humans to be the divine proteges! Needless to say, the Bible shows that God would have many reasons to regret the "choice" later on! The Letter to the Hebrews (11:8)l speaks to this moment as the moment of faith. Abram (later to be called "Abraham") put his faith in God and moved to a land he knew nothing of! He would not be the only one God would "call." Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jesus' disciples, St. Paul and many others down to our present day experience that call. That "call" would keep Thomas More faithful. That call should keep any married person faithful as well as any priest or religious! "Faith" seems more a verb than a noun to me. It implies a response to God's grace-filled presence which means more than a "Nice to meet you. Have a nice day!" response! It means going where God seems to be indicating. The destination may not be immediately obvious, but faith means we have to start moving. This has happened a lot to me and the destination this time is Austin, TX! AMEN