Word to the Wise
Monday, October 24, 2022 - Monday in the 30th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 4:32-5:8 and Luke 13:10-17]Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. [Ephesians]
I once had a poster with these words on it: If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" How can we "imitate God" and forgive one another as "God has forgiven you in Christ?" Last Friday, also from Ephesians, we were exhorted to "live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love...." It's a lifelong project!
The traditional response to this challenge speaks to the cultivation of various "virtues." A virtue is best defined as a disposition to act in a certain way. St. Thomas Aquinas tells us that if we want to "acquire" a particular virtue, the best way is by behavior. Changing our bad habits of acting and thinking demands a lot of intentional effort amidst the contrary urgings of our culture. It's a good thing God's mercy is infinite! AMEN