Imitation Is The Greatest Form Of Flattery!

Deacon Tom writes

“Imitation Is The Greatest Form Of Flattery”

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Talk about setting a high standard for ourselves. Do you think St. Paul was serious when he told the people of Ephesus “to be imitators of God?  Ephesus was the third largest city in the Roman Empire and was home to a quarter of a million people when Paul arrived there to begin his missionary work. Paul set up his ministry in this city because it was the center of the Greco-Roman culture, drawing travelers from both worlds. His approach to teaching the people of Ephesus was focused, direct, and predicated on this core principle: Christianity requires a dramatic change in the way would be followers of Christ live every aspect of our lives. Christianity isn’t just being nice to one another or a polite way of living. Paul explains the conversion of heart that one must have to genuinely embrace the “ New Way” he was teaching. His instruction is simple, “All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ”.

The image above was painted by Maryknoll Brother, Robert Lentz in an… “endeavor to see the Christ among the least of us, and to serve the Christ that lives in the margins of this world”.  Our faith challenges us to increase in our understanding of how we are called to love and serve the poor and marginalized in our time as did Christ in his, and…. to “have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus”. Phil 2:5

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery as the saying goes. In our readings today, St. Paul is calling upon the people of Ephesus to embrace a new life, not just changing their behavior, but also taking on a new role model, Christ, who, as, “the way and the truth and the life” (Jn 14:6) showed us how we are to be “Imitators of God”.  It’s a worthy goal! And, it is certainly one that is difficult, sometimes seemingly impossible, but worthy and something to be strived for as we endure life’s challenges! 

Change is always difficult. Bad habits are hard to break. Paul speaks to us today, asking us to become God-like. This requires that we not only stop doing some things, like being bitter, angry, or uncivil. We must also start doing some other things, like being kind, forgiving each other, being compassionate; not necessarily in becoming prisoners for the cause or righteousness as much as using our many freedoms to serve God’s Will. To become more God-like is really a movement away from behaviors that are self-centered and replacing them with activities that are God-like and that demonstrate our concern and love for one another.

Be imitators of Christ today. Send a card to a sick friend; do a good deed for someone, a random act of kindness; tell someone you’re sorry for a hurt you may have caused; little by little letting go of self and becoming more and more “Imitators of God”.

Enjoy the day!

Deacon Tom

Photo Credit – Christ Of Maryknoll, Br Robert Lentz, OFM