Live in a manner worthy of God's call

Sisters and brothers in Christ, we are good at using metrics/guidelines to evaluate and judge things in our lives - be they personal or professional. Just the other day, I was sitting in a meet in which we discussed certain metrics and how those metrics affect our decision to proceed with a project or how we can modify the project so that it meets all the metrics before we can proceed.

This is also important in our interior and spiritual life but we do not take is as seriously as we ought to, given what is at stake - our eternal soul, the kingdom of God, our relationship with the Holy Trinity, etc. Might I suggest something that I learned at the annual Deacon Retreat last weekend with Fr. Bruce Nieli. Perhaps we can evaluate and judge our interior life and spirituality using the Four Marks of the Catholic Church. For example, how is what I an engaging in helping me to grow in unity (One) with others, in goodness (Holy), in Truth (Apostolic), and in beauty (Catholic) that God created me to be, and help others do that same.

It starts with us, in our we live our faith through our words and actions. Saint Paul reminds us of our calling and how we should respond to God's calling in his Letter to the Ephesians: "live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

. . .

Gospel of the Day

Jesus said to the crowds,

“When you see a cloud rising in the west

you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;

and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south

you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.

You hypocrites!

You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;

why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?

If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,

make an effort to settle the matter on the way;

otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,

and the judge hand you over to the constable,

and the constable throw you into prison.

I say to you, you will not be released

until you have paid the last penny.”