November 13, 2016

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time -

 A Reflection by Fr. Leo

 

“We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.”

(2Thes 3:11)

 

One of the great guidelines in all the the12-step programs is the reminder to work your own program and not someone else’s.  This sounds much like the quote above from our second reading from the second letter to the Thessalonians.  People were minding the business of others and not their own. 

 

When we become concerned about others and what they are or are not doing, we conveniently busy ourselves with their short comings and not our own.  We may even put others down so that we can build up our friendships with others who will agree by sharing a common foe.  When we do this we place ourselves in judgement of others. 

 

This kind of disruptive behavior also leads us in the opposite direction of where Christ would take us.  Jesus never condemned, he only loved.  If others have faults, and we all do, our calling in Christ is to love them.  To pray for them.  To be the inviting presence of God.  This is easier done when we are “working” our own programs.  For we see then in others what we see in ourselves, imperfection, weakness and failure.  Mercy meets us here and we can offer to others what we ask God for ourselves. 

 

We are all caught in these dynamics at times.  So the best we can do is be humble and pray for perseverance as that, Jesus in the Gospel tells us, is the say to secure our lives.  Let us not judge, but strive to live in God’s love.  Then we will see God in ourselves and those we want to judge.