177. First Saturday of Ordinary Time
Meditations no. 62 (unofficial computer-aided translation)
Good example in daily work.
The Readings from todayâs Liturgy of the Hours honour the memory of the great patriarchs of the Old Testament: Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers in their generations. The Lord apportioned to them great glory, his majesty from the beginning. Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses⌠all of them faithful men whom God relied upon and who gave their lives entirely to fulfilling his will.
We also want to give all the glory to God. Our every action, the whole of our life, should be for him. For his sake we sanctify ourselves, and sanctify everything around us. But we live in the middle of the world: our cell is the street, as our Father used to say. Our work consists of an ordinary job, which is clear for all to see. And if we are going to give glory to God, we have to remember our responsibility towards those with whom we live or are in contact.
Although our work is done for God, it also forms part of our relationship with other people. This means that in their outward aspects - apart from the intention with which we do them - our actions should be as humanly and supernaturally perfect as possible, in imitation of Christ, perfectus Deus, perfectus homo.
This is what our Father called the apostolate of example: of constant, humble, persevering example. It entails a sacrifice that involves, in the words of holy Scripture, catching the little foxes that destroy the vineyard: carrying out the little duties of each moment in our professional and social tasks.
Christ tells us: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. We shouldnât be surprised if people notice something about our life that attracts them. That is why our Lord has made us become light, and has given us the command to draw all things to himself. St John Chrysostom says that the power of this light consists not only in shining, but also in leading those who follow it. We need to help all those around us to come closer to God: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
We should consider whether our friends and colleagues are truly spurred on to glorify God when they see the way we act. Can they see the light of Christ in us? Do they feel the urge to improve their own lives, when they realise that we actually practise the things we tell them?
Our duty to give a good example.
We cannot allow Christâs light to lie hidden in us. We must let it shine forth in our behaviour in the worldâs sight as well as in Godâs. It is not enough just to talk; we must also act. Those who see us will believe our actions more than any speech. They will feel attracted to the kind of life our actions reveal.
Through our divine calling and our specific formation, our Father has taught us, we must be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, because we are obliged to give a good example with holy shamelessness. We will feel urged on by the charity of Christ, by the feeling and the knowledge that we have become Jesus Christ, from the moment we first gave ourselves to him. This doesnât mean setting ourselves apart from the others - we are just the same as them - but we should be like salt, which isnât set apart from the food it is to flavour.
We need to make a definite supernatural effort if we are to give flavouring in the same way that salt does. My children, let us ask God to help us always be that good flavouring in the lives of others. Our formation embraces all the criteria and all the piety needed by Godâs children in his Work to enable them to season everything by their active presence.
Without doing anything strange or unsuitable for an ordinary Christian, we can show what it means to be a true follower of Christ. By good example good seed is sown; and charity compels us all to sow. Others must see that we are loyal, sincere, cheerful and hardworking. We must fulfil all our duties well, acting at all times as Godâs children. And when other people come to learn of our commitment to Christâs service, we have an even greater obligation to give a good example. The life we lead will directly affect the way in which they judge our spirit. Hence our actions must clearly reflect that spirit in all its divine beauty.
God has given us a spirit which, like the Gospel from which it is born, will extend over earth and sea, its only limit being the world itself. Together with grace, the most persuasive means we have for spreading our spirit everywhere is our exemplary life and upright Christian conduct.
Giving due value to the accepted customs of society.
Let us meditate on St Paulâs words to the Ephesians: I therefore ⌠beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called. We too must behave worthily, in accordance with our vocation, following our Lordâs example. Bene omnia fecit, the people said of him. He did everything well, to perfection. Not only the great miracles, but also the little everyday things that didnât dazzle anyone, but which Christ performed with the accomplishment of one who is perfectus Deus, perfectus homo, perfect God and perfect man.
We must do more than live an upright life and practise the basic Christian virtues, if we want to bring Christâs light to everyone. We must also observe the usual norms of social conduct. For many people, these rules are purely external, and are to be respected only because they make social relations easier. For us, they should stem from charity, as an external proof of our concern for others. This is all part of the divine light that should shine out through our lives. It is part of our apostolate. It brings home to people the doctrine we want to pass on to them, through our words, but above all through the example of our actions and life.
By acting in this way, our Father says, you will feel the warm affection of so many people who seek you out and who will continue to seek you out - for you are other Christs - if you are very godly as well as very human; and if, with Godâs grace, you practise the human virtues, which are so often missing in those who boast of supernatural virtues, which is why their work frequently comes crumbling down.
Cultivate the art of being pleasant. Treat other people politely, and avoid any arrogance. Be generous. Never be an icy model that others can admire but not love. Have Godâs grace and a sense of humour; and a smile that is sincere, clear and open, even though at times it cannot hide many human disappointments.
As we formulate our resolutions, let us ask Jesus and Mary not to let our weaknesses dim the light which God has lit in our souls. May it always shine in Godâs honour, attracting and winning over those who see it.