Friar’s Corner: Stay close to Jesus, radiate his love

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Ps 138:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 2:14-30

Now we are just two weeks until the end of the Church year. The readings this weekend focus on being good stewards with the divine power God gives us through his Church and the sacraments, to do good on earth. He wants us to grow in good works, virtues, to help him make our world a better place in which to live.

Proverbs comes out of a Hebrew culture, where a woman’s value was largely defined in terms of her function as a wife and mother. That is a little different in our culture. Psalm 128, a wisdom psalm, also makes reference to the blessing of a worthy wife in extolling the virtues of family life in general. This is certainly something we can help build up today.

St. Paul’s short comment to the Thessalonians reminds us that our time on earth is short. We don’t know when it will end. We want to have good things to show Jesus when we meet him. How do we get more of His grace so we can do more good? We need to get closer to Jesus and walk in his light.

We get closer to Jesus and become dynamic Christians by taking time each evening, asking the Holy Spirit for light to understand the stories about Jesus in the gospels. Then we ask Jesus for the grace to apply his principals to our daily life.

We also have a shadow side that has been programmed by the world. We need to learn more how to put aside the negative things in our life. Jesus says in Matthew’s gospel today to invest wisely with the gifts we have been given. The point is clear. Those who build on their baptismal commitment, by a steady and active growth in virtue and zeal to do good, will be more than amply rewarded in this life and more assured of going to be with Jesus forever in his heavenly glory. We need God’s grace and our determination to work hard at this. It doesn’t just drop out of the sky.

Let us make a commitment to be bearers of Christ’s light in the world. Or you might say to be better "radiators" of his love. We need to have the will to grow and at times Jesus gives us trials and always the grace to grow through them to greater holiness. He will fill you with more and more so you have more to give others.

Have a productive week,
+ Fr. Bob Hilz

(© 2014 Fr. Bob Hilz, TOR)