12th Sunday after Pentecost 1.9.19 Loving our Neighbour
We must love our neighbour, whoever that may be, and
whatever love requires in each situation.
Our neighbour could be someone we see all the time, like
family; or a stranger we see only once.
What love requires may not necessarily be what the person
wants from us.
Sometimes love requires that we refuse a request, or that we
correct the other person’s behaviour.
One situation that often arises is that people come to
churches to ask for money. We should generally refuse such requests because a
lot of the claims for help will be untruthful; and we run the risk of being overrun
with other people doing the same thing.
We will be accused of being un-Christian if we do not give,
but we must seek the best path to take.
The Church has structures for helping the poor, and we
should encourage the proper use of those structures. This will keep due order
and reduce fraud.
We work for the overall good of each person and of the whole
Church.
This is how God
expresses love for us - He works to an overall plan.
We believe He hears our prayers; yet He does not always give
us what we ask, nor does He always give it immediately.
We might lament this apparent inaction on God's part, but we
can be assured He is working for our overall good.
He will give us what is best for us, and in the way that is
best.
We can apply the same logic to our love for others. We will
give what we think is best and in the way that is best for each person. We do
not have God's infinite wisdom, but we can seek His guidance for the best
response in each case.
The whole Church is charitable, materially and spiritually.
The spiritual help is always more important, but we must
attend to material help also.
It is no use preaching to a man if he has an empty stomach.
We feed him first; because simple charity requires it, and it will put him in a
more likely mood to receive the Gospel.
Many would resist the spiritual help, but they need it, even
if they do not know or do not want.
The Church is seen as helpful in the material domain, but
not for its spiritual value.
But we must pursue the spiritual side of the matter. We must
instruct the ignorant and admonish the sinner, two of the spiritual works of
mercy. Ignorant and sinful people will not usually admit they are in those
states.
This is where we have to overrule sometimes. We hope that
those whose requests we refuse will not be embittered, but come to a proper
spiritual understanding of their position before God, and see their way to a
higher destiny.
In our prayer we ask this of God, acknowledging that He
knows best; and while we cannot understand all His ways, we do see the general
pattern to which He is working.
That everyone, including ourselves, will see our ultimate
happiness as union with God, and all other needs along the way as subservient
to that.
We do not find this easy as urgent needs press upon us. We
do not find it easy to convince other people that this is their situation.
But it is true for everyone, and God Himself will not allow
us to forget it.
He could rain down every conceivable material blessing on
us, but He knows that would distract us from the main task, which is to have
our sins forgiven, and right relationship with Him restored.
May we find the right balance; that all our giving and
receiving be according to God's holy will.
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