What if...?
What if my relationship with Jesus is measured by the way I treat the person I dislike most, rather than the person I love most?
What if I made a conscious, public effort to pray for the good of members of the Taliban, Al-Qaida, and the Sudanese Janjaweed?
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Mt 5:43-48
What if I eschewed calumny and innuendo about any person - no matter how tempting - even while others aren't?
"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.' But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Mt 5:21-22
What if I took my own mortality seriously, and realized my days are numbered (and that there's no guarantee that number isn't less than two?
do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink), or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Mt 6:25-27
What if I believed in an absolute connection between my human relationships and my relationship with God?
if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Mt 5:23-24
What if I excused the foibles, flaws and sins of others as generously as I excuse my own?
Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Mt 7:1-2
What if I honestly examined my life to determine what are my real priorities?
Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Mt 6:21
What if I took Jesus' sermon on the Mount seriously?
Would I recognize myself?
posted by Fr. Mike, O.P. @ 6:15 AM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
After we answer all the 'what if's?'...then we have to ask the 'why not's?'...
I regularly have the folk who cause me the most grief (usually extended family members - who I was once in business with) right at the top of my prayer list - ain't that great? ;-) I have to say though that it's easier to pray for the likes of Osama Bin Laden (who I've never met) than it is for those who have wronged me personally.
Cheers
Steve S
Great post, Fr. Mike - thank you.
Lots of food for thought.
Fr. Mike,
This reflection was so pertinent and helpful today when a friend came to visit to comfort me and I was able to
share with her the fruitlessness of "worry" - her husband lost his job this week and we prayed and talked and she left with renewed faith that "all will be well" because of that faith. We also invoked (for both of us) St. Rita of Cassia, highly venerated in Ireland - "saint of the impossible" and with our Lord we know the rest! Thank you, dear friend. Marilyn
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