God’s ‘place’ is within us. Let us be sure to put out the welcome mat

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

A reflection on the daily readings by Father Perry.

+ There is an expression usually delivered in the most demeaning and domineering way: “Please, young man, remember your place!”

And the “place” referred to is a lower class — a servant, not having any valid credentials; or noble class blood, to give a “high” place.

In other words: “You are nothing”— and don’t forget it!

Genesis tells us something quite different.

God looked at what he created each day, and the word God spoke each day about his creation was that “it was good.”

On the sixth day, and after creating all of the “good” creation, God created man and he gave them a place.

God gave man dominion over birds and beasts and everything else, and God made man in his own image; God blessed man and God made them fertile — very fertile so they could add and multiply.

God gave them a divine/human place and filled them with his own goodness.

+ But then comes along these Pharisees who thought they had a “high place” in society, in faith circles, and in the eyes of all.

And as they looked down on the disciples of Jesus and ultimately on Jesus himself, they said in so many words: “Remember your place!”

And to be honest, they did not hold Jesus nor his disciples in any place that was even moderately high — they disdained them.

But Jesus called them hypocrites. He saw their hypocritical ways.

He named their hypocritical ways and gestures that used the law to allow them to get what they wanted and do what they wanted; and they never seemed to want holiness, goodness, compassion, love, or truth.

To put it plainly, we hear it in the very words of Jesus: “They [you, Pharisees] nullified the word of God.”

And they did many such things.

+ So we have to decide. What is our place? Who do we wish to be? Who do we wish to become? Made in God’s image, made very good, and being a little less than angels and being set over all things (to respect and appreciate and care for them)?

We have been given a very “high place,” a “place” very near to our God, a “place” where God resides; and he even says it is his choice to make his “abode” in us.

He wants to dwell in our hearts, souls, minds, and lives.

Funny. God says his “place” is within us.

Let us be sure to put out the welcome mat.

Father Perry D. Leiker is the 14th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.