Vanity

 "The wisdom of this world is foolishness in the eyes of God, for it is written: God catches the wise in their own ruses, and again: The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." 1 Cor 3:19

Who of us is not vain? For some, it is their bodies or the color of their hair they worry about. For others, it is their insights or the sharpness of their minds. We think our memories of past events are accurate even when others have a different version.

Vanity invades us all, and invade is a good word. Most times we don't even recognize our own vanity. We offer an opinion in a conversation, but really think of it as a fact or as an interpretation that is unassailable. We pose for pictures holding our belly in or standing on tiptoe, all with the intention of impressing others. We can check ourselves in this regard by asking ourselves how often we repeat our opinion in a conversation, even when other people have clearly heard us and disagree!

St Paul knows a lot about vanity, and it is not an offense to him to suggest that it is his own vanity that allows him to be so insightful. Paul warns others that God sees through our pretensions and loves us in spite of our silliness. Offering others the same love God gives us when their vanity shows is a good spiritual practice.

Today, check your vanity at the door of our heart.

In what areas do you catch yourself insisting on your own opinion?

We belong to Jesus

  "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." Lk 8:21

We are the family of Jesus. It is that simple and that clear. It is also important. While some might be unnerved when Jesus stretches his followers to think of anyone who listens to and tries to live God's word as his family, it is not a rejection of his own family.

Jesus loved his mother and family deeply. That he wanted everyone listening to him with an open heart to see themselves as his brothers and sisters did not diminish his respect for and love of his immediate family, but was a way to break down the artificial and unnecessary barriers between and among people.

Jesus' love for all people is a lesson for us. We are called to love everyone as He did. We are not free to reject anyone for reasons of race, religion, culture or ethnicity. While it is obvious that there are some people who will be more difficult to love than others, if we want to call ourselves Christians, we must put aside every prejudice to love as Jesus did.

Today, love someone to whom you are not attracted.

What kind of people are most difficult for you to love?

Hedging on Faith

 "Give me neither poverty nor riches; provide me only with the food I need; Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God." Prov 30:9

How much is enough? It is important to ask this question of ourselves regularly. How much money, property, and security do we need? The book of proverbs offers us a clear and simple answer, though we may not like it. The writer asks God only for that which will help him live a balanced life, nothing more. There is a great wisdom in the writer's stance.

Concerned that we might not be able to have control over our lives, we lose focus and try too hard to be successful, and while most of us might not be tempted to steal, we all consider cutting corners in order to feel secure. Some of us look for tax breaks we don't deserve. Others charge more for their services than their work warrants. Whatever we do to give ourselves a false sense of security never works for long. Fear and a lack of faith can never be dismissed without regular prayer.

Today, ask God for what you need. Nothing more.

What are your biggest temptations in seeking a false security?

St Padre Pio

  “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light." Lk 8:16

What must we do when our inner demons urge us not to display the light God has given us? This is no idle question, but a deep struggle of conscience that many saints have had to face in their lives. 

Padre Pio is a saint who struggled mightily with the gifts God gave him. Blessed with the Stigmata, Pio was frightened when first presented with the gift of Jesus' wounds appearing in his own body. Writing to his friend, Padre Benedetto, Pio told the priest that when he first received the Stigmata he thought he was dying, and would have died had not God intervened. Worried about the reaction of others, Pio asked God to take the outward sign of the Stigmata from him. Willing to endure the pain of the wounds, he did not want to face the questions and doubts of his confreres and superiors about their authenticity.

Today, let your light, no matter how weak, shine for God's glory.

What most troubles or unnerves you about being God's light in the world?