Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Here again, we read the passage in Exodus where God gave the Ten Commandments to the Jews at Mt. Sinai. God is a great lawgiver who institutes laws that are right and just. Our human laws draw their wisdom and inspiration from God’s divine laws. Human laws can become run down and lose their essential purpose. The laws of any land or place can often be misused to create injustice and disparity. That is why it is important to seek justice and truth in all aspects of life as a Christian. Thomas Merton advocated for this in his writing.
“True Christian obedience should liberate man from servitude to the “elements of this World” (cf Galatians 4:1-11) so that we may be able freely to obey civil authority that is legal and just, and in the presence of injustice and falsity we must ‘obey God rather than men.’”
Merton was advocating for Christians to work for social justice within appropriate means. It can apply to any time and place. We all can learn about current events in the world and how to advocate for justice in it. This doesn’t mean selling your home or joining a radical cause. It does mean we can contribute in our own way to make the world a better place. For, in reality, we all can work for justice and peace in our daily lives. It can be as simple as giving to the poor, helping a stranger, or learning the truth about a certain issue we want to know more about. This prepares our hearts to better serve Christ in our neighbor.
Reflection: To serve Christ in our neighbor. This is indeed what it means to be “seed sown on rich soil” which withstands the rocky road of adversity and the thorns of worldly anxiety. Jesus’ parable of the sower means God’s word comes to all of us, and we can choose how we respond.
Merton’s quotations are taken from Passion for Peace: The Social Essays, edited by William Henry Shannon, Crossroads Press, 1995.
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections