Let’s change our thinking from “it’s a sacrifice to help our neighbour” TO “let’s make an investment in our future”
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time – November 3, 2024
It’s a normal and positive thing for everyone to live a good standard of life: to be comfortable and enjoy material things. Each generation tries, and often succeeds in improving. But how? Because our parents make many sacrifices for us, their children, and through faithfulness to God and helping the community.
However, when we look around the world, today, we see many serious conflicts, increasing mental diseases, family separations and a general “relaxation” of moral standards.
In most countries, now, there is a shortage of volunteers. Many community services are shutting down, and less people are attending Church on a regular basis. We live in a world which is more into praising ourselves, and it feels uncomfortable to praise God whom we can’t see: atheism, or non-belief in God, is increasing. The gap between rich and poor is increasing.
So, how do we “fix” the problem? Let’s listen to the First Reading: “Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow.”
This refers to the Commandments as shown in our Gospel, “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.”
In other words, joy, success and meaning in life will increase for us when we respect God and help the community: people and institutions. What would we say if asked: what does it mean to praise God? I hope we would say: by loving our neighbour, and not by singing beautiful songs.
However, what will happen if we don’t praise God? Will God punish us? The answer is, NO. God does not punish us; however, we corrupt our way of thinking, leading to unhappiness.
The two commandments given in today’s Gospel simply remind us of our duty to contribute to the welfare of others. This is not a punishment but a way to ensure “a land of milk and honey.”
Helping our family and community is not always pleasant or convenient at the immediate time, but it makes a big difference to our happiness tomorrow. It helps if we think how our mums cared for us as babies: we always made a mess, but she always cleaned us up, even when busy!
We praise our parents by acknowledging what they do for us, thanking them with words and little celebrations to praise them for their sacrifices: birthdays, etc.
We can do the same for God, simply by a few words of prayers with lots of kind actions to help others: this is the best praise to give to God. We develop a culture of gratitude by acknowledging our parents and God: making it easier for us to be generous to others.
On the personal level, we praise God by being the best that we can be. This is what it means to love God with all our mind and heart. To be thirsty for knowledge is to search for a fuller and deeper understanding of God.
When we see an athlete trying their best in sport, they are praising God. When we see a beautiful painting, the artist has praised God. etc.
There have been a few cases of athletes running in a race when, almost to the finish line, one falls over. There are videos showing how the leader has sometimes stopped to pick up the fallen athlete and help them over the line, often losing the race themselves. Of course the winner takes home the trophy. But the audience gave a standing ovation and several minutes of sustained applause to the athlete who sacrificed “winning” to help their competitor to finish.
Winning the race is wonderful. But stopping to help a competitor transformed the whole crowd. That was the “unseen” God suddenly being revealed. When we see Mums & Dads sacrificing their time and money to help their spouse and children, they are praising God.
Attending Mass and praying can praise God, too, but they are more necessary as ways of reminding us to be helpful and concerned about our neighbours.
Finally, someone said recently, once we stop keeping the First Commandment we lose everything: the First Commandment is not to keep God happy, but to help us remember that God is stronger than any evil and wants to walk with us: and that gives us the courage to keep trying to be good, and to continue struggling with hope for the future.
This week, let’s change our thinking from “wow, it’s a big sacrifice to help our neighbours” TO “let’s make an investment in our future by helping our neighbours.” As the expression goes, “We all swim in the same ocean,” so if we help others we keep the water clean for everyone, even us. God’s generosity to us will always be greater than the effort we put in.
It’s a normal and positive thing for everyone to live a good standard of life: to be comfortable and enjoy material things. Each generation tries, and often succeeds in improving. But how? Because our parents make many sacrifices for us, their children, and through faithfulness to God and helping the community.
However, when we look around the world, today, we see many serious conflicts, increasing mental diseases, family separations and a general “relaxation” of moral standards.
In most countries, now, there is a shortage of volunteers. Many community services are shutting down, and less people are attending Church on a regular basis. We live in a world which is more into praising ourselves, and it feels uncomfortable to praise God whom we can’t see: atheism, or non-belief in God, is increasing. The gap between rich and poor is increasing.
So, how do we “fix” the problem? Let’s listen to the First Reading: “Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord the God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow.”
This refers to the Commandments as shown in our Gospel, “To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.”
In other words, joy, success and meaning in life will increase for us when we respect God and help the community: people and institutions. What would we say if asked: what does it mean to praise God? I hope we would say: by loving our neighbour, and not by singing beautiful songs.
However, what will happen if we don’t praise God? Will God punish us? The answer is, NO. God does not punish us; however, we corrupt our way of thinking, leading to unhappiness.
The two commandments given in today’s Gospel simply remind us of our duty to contribute to the welfare of others. This is not a punishment but a way to ensure “a land of milk and honey.”
Helping our family and community is not always pleasant or convenient at the immediate time, but it makes a big difference to our happiness tomorrow. It helps if we think how our mums cared for us as babies: we always made a mess, but she always cleaned us up, even when busy!
We praise our parents by acknowledging what they do for us, thanking them with words and little celebrations to praise them for their sacrifices: birthdays, etc.
We can do the same for God, simply by a few words of prayers with lots of kind actions to help others: this is the best praise to give to God. We develop a culture of gratitude by acknowledging our parents and God: making it easier for us to be generous to others.
On the personal level, we praise God by being the best that we can be. This is what it means to love God with all our mind and heart. To be thirsty for knowledge is to search for a fuller and deeper understanding of God.
When we see an athlete trying their best in sport, they are praising God. When we see a beautiful painting, the artist has praised God. etc.
There have been a few cases of athletes running in a race when, almost to the finish line, one falls over. There are videos showing how the leader has sometimes stopped to pick up the fallen athlete and help them over the line, often losing the race themselves. Of course the winner takes home the trophy. But the audience gave a standing ovation and several minutes of sustained applause to the athlete who sacrificed “winning” to help their competitor to finish.
Winning the race is wonderful. But stopping to help a competitor transformed the whole crowd. That was the “unseen” God suddenly being revealed. When we see Mums & Dads sacrificing their time and money to help their spouse and children, they are praising God.
Attending Mass and praying can praise God, too, but they are more necessary as ways of reminding us to be helpful and concerned about our neighbours.
Finally, someone said recently, once we stop keeping the First Commandment we lose everything: the First Commandment is not to keep God happy, but to help us remember that God is stronger than any evil and wants to walk with us: and that gives us the courage to keep trying to be good, and to continue struggling with hope for the future.
This week, let’s change our thinking from “wow, it’s a big sacrifice to help our neighbours” TO “let’s make an investment in our future by helping our neighbours.” As the expression goes, “We all swim in the same ocean,” so if we help others we keep the water clean for everyone, even us. God’s generosity to us will always be greater than the effort we put in.
By Gerard Conlan, OMI