For the love of God is this,
that we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not burdensome,
for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world.
And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.
I f you can imagine it, you can do it!" So said William Arthur Ward, American writer and academic, and many motivational speakers.
I have encountered more than a few alcoholics who simply could not imagine life without drinking, and I remember my last years of using. It just didn't seem possible. What is it about the substance that holds such a powerful grip on the human body and its imagination? Forty-four years later, I can't imagine living as long as I have had I kept at it. If my experience at the VA hospital is true, not many alcoholic men live into the seventies.
But a similar lack of imagination staggers many people as they encounter Catholics and Christians practicing our faith in the Lord. Our lives are directed by...
a mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
We do not find his commandments burdensome. Habitually letting go of the fears that control our contemporaries, we can give generously of our time and resources, we can go the extra mile, lend without expecting repayment, and strive to enter through the narrow gate.
The mysteries of Christmas these past few weeks have refreshed our readiness. First we heard the excited announcements of John the Baptist calling us to repentance, and we took the time to confess our sins. Then we saw Joseph receive his supernaturally pregnant wife into his home, and their unexpected flight into Egypt soon after the Child's birth. We drew inspiration from Mary's response to the Angel, "I am the handmaid of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your word."
We shared Elizabeth's wonder, "But who am I that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" Indeed, we can hardly believe that God has blessed us with such mercy; we are continually reminded of our peers and contemporaries who, lacking that Christian imagination, cannot go with us. They cannot see what appears so obvious to us. The only explanation we have for our manner of living is the word of Saint John,
"...the victory that conquers the world is our faith."
Today's second reading is taken from the Gospel of Saint Luke. And 2025 is a third year in the three-year cycle of Sunday Gospel readings, so this will be the year of Saint Luke. We will hear this reading again on Sunday, January 26. Having heard the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke, we're ready to set out for the deep, and into the revelation of the Lord's teachings, miracles, and ultimate sacrifice.
We can expect to be challenged during this new year; and we can hope, pray, and prepare to meet the challenges. Not only will this Scripture passage be fulfilled in our hearing, but we will live it, each to their best capacity, as the Spirit fires our imagination and clears the way.
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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.