Make God Number 1 and Find Your Heart's Desire

Scripture:  Luke 12:49-53
49 "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against  her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Jesus, the Light of the World
Warner Sallman

Reflection: When Jesus told His disciples that he came not to give peace but rather division on earth they were shocked. It is unusual for Jesus who promoted love and peace to say such a thing. What was his point in saying this?

God wants us to love Him above all, and love of God means that we make Him number one in our lives. It is possible that doing what God wants us to do can make us unpopular in today's society which places more importance in material things and pleasure. We may even have conflicts with friends and family members if putting them first becomes an obstacle with what God wants us to do. Being a Christian means being loyal to Jesus first even at the risk of causing division. If our loyalty belongs to someone or in many cases something, then we are guilty of having other "gods", a violation of God's commandment.

It may seem unreasonable for Jesus to demand this kind of relationship with us. But if we reflect on it deeply, God really deserves nothing less than all the love and loyalty we could give. He has showed us the way by loving us to the point of laying down His life. And He showed loyalty to us by carrying out His mission up to His painful death on the cross.

Putting God first is a winning decision for us. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. God knows exactly what is best for us, and He wants our happiness and welfare more than anything else. Putting God first ensures that we are always on the path to goodness, happiness, peace, love and our ultimate goal of eternal union with Him.

The Power to Live our Purpose

Scripture: Luke 10:1-9  
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come. 2 And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. 4 Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and salute no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace be to this house!' 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages; do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you; 9 heal the sick in it and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.'

Jesus sends His disciples on their mission
paulines.ph

Reflection: Everyone is called by God to fulfill a specific purpose. Nobody in this world exists just to consume natural resources and not contribute anything. We may think that we're not talented enough, or charismatic enough to make a mark on society, but that is not an excuse. God has used misfits in the past who accomplished great deeds remembered to this day. Moses, Joshua, David, Gideon and countless heroes of the bible were all ordinary people and even seen as unremarkable and lacking in talent. But God used whatever they had to offer to accomplish mighty deeds. In the same way, God can take any talent we offer Him and use it for someone's blessing.

God asks us to trust in Him completely when He sends us out on our mission. We should learn to take our focus out of the fears and obstacles that confront us and rely on His power which He makes available to us. When Moses freed the Israelites out of Pharaoh's tyranny, he did not do so by using his talents and abilities. He just made himself an instrument and through him God performed amazing miracles that scared the oppressors of his people and paved the way for their freedom.

All of us have something to share for the good of everyone. It does not matter if your talent benefits the whole world or just a few people around you. The most important thing is that we use it, and God is satisfied with that. He is most satisfied if you use your talent for the purpose of serving others out of love and not out of self promotion.

God asks us to free ourselves of obstacles and distractions that make us lose focus on our mission. Obstacles such as pride, selfishness, fear, doubt, and greed. Pride and selfishness makes us focus on personal reward instead of how we could serve and love others. Fear and doubt makes us distrust ourselves and God's power to help us achieve our potential as instruments of blessing. Greed makes us focus on personal gain instead of helping others.

To be successful in our God given mission, let us ask God to help us trust in His power which He makes available to us and through us. And let us ask Him to fill our hearts with love for others that we may be ready to offer ourselves as instruments of blessing.

The Cost of Being a Disciple

Scripture: Luke 9:57-62
57 As they were going along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head." 59 To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." 60 But he said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home." 62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."

Reflection: It is a great challenge to follow Jesus. Many obstacles and distractions stand along our way to Him. Jesus knows this, but He is calling us anyway. His call comes with a warning though: that we should give up all that may cause us to place God as second priority. If God is not the most important person in our lives, then we are not true disciples. It really is a demanding call, but then God deserves to be number one in our lives. Jesus has given us all He could give, even His life until He has shed the last drop of His blood.Even to this day, Jesus continues to give Himself to us in the Blessed Sacrament, His Real Presence.

When God calls, He does not force us to follow Him. But He gives the grace and strength to us so we could respond positively. Loving God and being His disciples would require much from us, but we are assured that we will be filled with grace and strength to follow through and be true disciples. Love always requires sacrifice. Jesus showed that His Love made Him undergo the ultimate sacrifice... that of laying down His life for us. We may not be required to die for God, but to live for Him. Living for God will require us to give up any person, addictions, bad habits or any situation that is blocking us from God, and this will hurt. But again, we are always assured that it is God Himself who will give us the grace and strength to love Him as we should.

If we decide to say yes to God's call, it would be the best decision we will ever make. It is a decision that has eternal consequences, eternal life with God.