Word to the Wise
Monday, November 4, 2024 - Monday in the 31th Week in Ordinary Time
[Phil 2:1-4 and Luke 14:12-14]......[C]omplete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but also everyone for those of others. [Philippians] "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or you relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." [Luke]
NOVEMBER 4 ST. CHARLES BORROMEO
A well-known expression in political life (and other aspects of social life] is: "I scratch your back, you scratch mine!" Sometimes the first part of this expression is done deliberately to somehow get the other to act in return. This was common in Jesus' day, and explains Jesus' comment in today's gospel scripture. But it is common in our own day, too. St. Paul also refers to it in the first scripture for today as well. It is not unknown for a curious neighbor to invite the folks next door to come to dinner in the hopes that the favor will be returned in order to satisfy curiosity about the home next door!
All of this goes to highlight the importance of MOTIVE in what we do. In Jesus' teaching, WHY we do something can be of greater importance than WHAT we do. Something done out of love is not the same as something done for material gain. And, yes, we do act with "mixed" motives in a lot of our interaction with others. In the "helping" professions, a lawyer, clergyman, nurse, doctor, teacher, etc. usually enjoys what they do to help other people. But the "others" can become just objects of the "help" instead of fellow humans in need of that help. Or one may help someone just to make them go away!
"Purification of motives" requires healthy self-awareness. Jesus' and St. Paul's challenges to act with love and compassion and not for self-gain demand an ongoing examination of conscience on the part of a person or even a whole community. Another old expression worthy of remembrance is: "Virtue is its own reward!" AMEN