Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Practicing our faith was never supposed to be easy, nor was living a good life. If Kermit found it hard to be green, we humans find it more difficult to exist at all. One of our daily challenges is balancing the needs of others against our own. Few of us are paid to take care of ourselves, but our employers want us to show up for work fit, capable and ready. Which is to say more than just physically there; we should be inspired.
That means self-care. First there's the education and formation, which was not half finished when we received our diplomas, certificates and degrees.
Then there's the daily awareness of our bodies, subject as they are to germs and viruses, accidents and predators. We should also keep an eye on the finances, those credit cards and bank accounts that sometimes run amok. That's where we meet the predators, and they are vicious.
Because we are servants of the Lord, Saint Paul urges us to, "Attend to yourself and to your teaching...." As servants (employees) of the Lord we are expected to maintain our health, avoid destructive practices and strengthen our abilities. Who wouldn't love to drive a race car, sky dive, or shinny up a sheer cliff except that we have to be at work on Monday? We just don't have time for thirty days in ICU.
Our Christian tradition insists we should not commit suicide lest we violate the commandment, "Thou shalt not steal." Killing oneself is robbing the Lord of his property. (So far, I've heard no more persuasive answer to the philosopher's question, "Why shouldn't I kill myself?" I have not even heard an alternate, less-than-persuasive answer.)
We make our daily decisions on the principle that we belong to the Lord and are responsible to the Lord. And the Lord sends us to care for one another. It might be satisfying to focus the energies of a nation on a moonshot, or the destruction of enemies, real and imaginary; but our first duty is to care for one another. If there's any time, money or strength left over, we can spend them on less important matters.
In today's first reading, Saint Paul urges his protege, the bishop Timothy, "attend to yourself and your teaching." The practice of faith is the practice of a good life. If the bishop's responsibility includes study of the Gospel and its traditions, his ministry is to help his congregation live within the ancient customs and ways of our people. Their responsibility complements the bishop's, to learn from him and with him. Together, we live our faith and adapt our traditions to different parts of the world and through ever-changing times.
"...so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you."
Care for oneself, care for the Church, care for others: they are one thing.
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.