Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
If I preach the Gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it! (1 Corinthians 9:16). Let me be honest. I feel unworthy to preach, and even to write these reflections: underqualified, immature in the faith, not called as St. Paul was by a divine mandate. I am a monk: I work and pray rather humbly, making a small difference in the world.
Yet, I desire to preach the Gospel, to make known the wisdom of God’s plan of salvation, especially as it applies to the poor and most vulnerable, to the care of creation, and the preservation of life and human dignity. I do not usually speak on these Catholic social principles publicly, but perhaps like St. Paul, woe to me if I do not preach it!
All life—the unborn, the prisoner, the elder—is sacred and we must work to protect those most vulnerable. Marriage & family is the core unit of all society, and we must work to support it and strengthen it. The economy should be at the service of workers, not the other way around, and the dignity of their work should be upheld. All human beings are children of God, and regardless of race, creed, or status, we are brothers and sisters in the same family. Earth is where we all live and breathe, and we should show respect for our common home. These articulate the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which is based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the traditions of the Catholic Church.
Even as a monk of a monastery withdrawn from the world to some extent, I hear the people’s cry, about all that’s going on in the world. I believe that there is power in prayer, but I also believe in the power of action. Yet, I realize one cannot happen without the other: prayer inspires and guides action, and action is supported and sustained by prayer.
Perhaps you are feeling the same way: powerless, small, yet full of wishes and dreams for the world. Let us take it to prayer today and be inspired to live our faith and preach the Gospel with words and actions.
Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections