15th Sunday Ordinary Time (B) 14 July 2024 The Main Event
It is possible to see our faith as just a part of our lives, that we engage in sometimes but not all the time; that has some bearing on the decisions we make, but is not necessarily the main focus.
Today’s readings put Jesus firmly at the centre of everything – our lives, our whole world, the whole world.
[He is seated at the right hand] far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come; and he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church… (Eph 1,21-22).
Does that sound like someone who is just one of many? He is not a side event, or a non-event; He is the Main event.
Whatever else we interest ourselves in, whatever else we do – He is the most important reality in our lives.
In practice we deal with many things, and today’s world is probably the busiest it has ever been, with the appearance of so many IT gadgets and global communication.
To say that Jesus is at the centre of it all might seem impractical. On the face of it we would have less time to pray or engage in spiritual matters, one might expect.
If we take Our Lord as the root, the foundation, the ‘cornerstone’ we can see what is meant.
If we have Him as the guiding principle of all that we think, say or do – then we can manage all our concerns in a consistent and productive way.
As a quick reference point we can ask ourselves: would what I am doing now be pleasing to God? We seek to please Him, and avoiding all that would displease Him.
We go back to Him at regular intervals, correcting ourselves if we are drifting too far from him.
There are many temptations to make less of Him than He really is.
Many today would say that the purpose of religion is to help people. We can help people without going to church or praying etc, so why not leave it at that?
Some would say that it is too narrow to have just one Saviour; there can be many sources of help. But He is at the centre of it all.
Or we could say - I do good, I am good enough, etc. I don’t need anything else.
Or, I am spiritual but not religious.
Or, all religions are the same.
These attitudes do not do justice to Jesus Christ who is the
only God who actually exists, and requires from us not only conformity to His
laws, but love and worship in return.
The first Commandment is to love God. We do not just deal with Him to solve our problems but consciously, explicitly acknowledge His importance.
It means we want what He wants. He will guide our choices.
Better still He will form us in His image, and make us Christ-like on the inside, in our hearts and minds, the way we think and feel.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.(Eph 3,16-17)
He is as central to us as we are to ourselves. We look out on reality with His eyes, discerning good and evil, forgiving readily, encouraging to persevere.
Praised be to Him, forever.
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