Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
A reflection on the daily readings, for Tuesday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God.”
St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians says it so clearly and so bluntly: We do not do good works to get God’s love and to be saved; rather, because we are so loved, and we are all saved by God’s love and grace. Because of that, good works just flow out of and through us. The good works are really our response to God’s love and grace. The more aware we are of God’s love and grace, the more goodness we will have and we will do.
“For we are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them.”
No boasting; therefore, no “Look at me! Look at what I have done! What I have accomplished!”
Rather, we might just say, “Thank you, God, for all of your grace and blessings, and for all you have accomplished in me.”
It’s all a gift!
And Jesus had to set a brother, who was complaining about his brother, straight!
He told a parable about a man who was focused on getting more and having more possessions. In this parable, a man poured all of his energy into building bigger so he could fill it with more and more, and become wealthier and wealthier. When all was accomplished, he died. Jesus said, and asked —
“You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?”
And Jesus finished it off with the conclusion that it all comes to nought for —
“Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”
Both Paul and Jesus would clearly agree. It’s all a gift! It’s all grace! The treasure is already given to us. It’s ours to receive and to be grateful for it!
[Image via www.lumoproject.com.]
