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WATCH IT !!!
All People are sacred, created in the image and likeness of God.
And do not lose dignity because of disability, age, poverty, race or religion.
True humility blinds one from the act of giving and is noticed by others.
Remember what our Lord told us, “Let your light shine before men, so that others may see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven”.
Be watchful, for you do not know the hour when the Son of Man will return.
Although the belief statement in Romans 10:5-17 is comforting we should also reflect on the other statements in the Bible that needs to be fulfilled in order o be saved.
In Mth 16:24 our Lord said "If anyone wishes to come after me, he should deny himself, take up his cross and follow me". Taking up the cross and following Jesus commits us to the task of alleviating suffering whenever it is possible.
On judgment day our Lord will judge us not only on the wrongs that we have done but also what we have failed to do ... whether we have visited the sick, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, sheltered the homeless etc. (These are the Corporal Works of Mercy)
You will have completely found your mission on Earth the moment you say to God, like Isaiah, “Here I am, Lord".
We can decide to make a difference starting from today. We can decide to light a candle (by doing good) rather than curse the darkness (by just asking 'why there is so much of evil in the world'). Even the smallest candle helps in a world of darkness.
Lord, there is so much for me to do each day. Help me choose ‘the right thing’ more often.
Lord, deepen my faith and help me to seek your love, in good times and in bad.
Lord, stop me when I’m tempted to spread gossip or tell someone an unnecessary truth.
Social Service is giving direct aid to someone in need. It usually involves performing one or more of the corporal works of mercy. That is, giving alms to the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick or imprisoned, taking care of orphans and widows, visiting the shut-ins etc. Another name for it is charity.
Humanly speaking, the desire to be loved, honored, praised, consulted, and approved is probably important to most people (barring all of you saintly ones out there). I figure mumbling the words to this beautiful prayer will at least raise my awareness that craving respect and admiration isn’t necessary for my personal identity. Rather, all gifts I possess and any good I do with those gifts is the result of being a child of God, who gave me all good things.
One of my personal weaknesses is my lack of trust in God. This plays out in the way in which I try to control situations and people out of fear. The serenity prayer reminds me what I am responsible for and what I am not.
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
According to Aristotle, kindness is an emotion manifesting itself by the desire to help somebody in need, without expecting anything in return. Peter Kreeft defines kindness as “sympathy, with the desire to relieve another’s suffering.”
When we do not worship God we will look to worship anything .... power, pleasure, fame, talents, good looks, money and possessions.
Be watchful, for you do not know the hour when the Son of Man will return.
Freedom of religion doesn’t mean freedom to insult and denigrate someone's closely held beliefs.
Because we are the Body of Christ. We suffer together. We grieve together. We persevere together.
Although the belief statement in Romans 10:5-17 is comforting we should also reflect on the other statements in the Bible that needs to be fulfilled in order o be saved.
In Mth 16:24 our Lord said "If anyone wishes to come after me, he should deny himself, take up his cross and follow me". Taking up the cross and following Jesus commits us to the task of alleviating suffering whenever it is possible.
On judgment day our Lord will judge us not only on the wrongs that we have done but also what we have failed to do ... whether we have visited the sick, clothed the naked, fed the hungry, sheltered the homeless etc. (These are the Corporal Works of Mercy)
Through Jesus' suffering, humiliation, and death on the cross, our salvation was won.
If we work in an environment that is unfriendly or hostile than we'll be dying every minute. But since we are only passing through this life, we are required to speak for the voiceless & try to change the environment by the little gifts that we have .. Wisdom, Discernment, Knowledge, Compassion etc. Than for certain we'll not be dying everyday but will live for another day.
