Deacon Tom Writes,
“Where’s Our Loyalty”
“If it is displeasing to you to
serve the LORD, decide today whom you will serve.”
(Jos 24:15). Joshua poses this demanding question to all the Israelites
gathered at Shechem many years after they had entered the promised land. The
people responded, “We will serve the Lord, our God, and will
listen to his voice.” (Jos 24:24) Today as we listen to this scripture
passage, we are asked the same question basically, “Where’s your loyalty.” And
what is our response?
No generation
has had an easy time answering this question. Life has always been hard. Finding
God in the midst of all that life presents challenges all of us and eludes even
those who strive to do so. Who is God? What is my relationship with God? What
is my purpose in life? What does the Almighty ask of me so that I can answer
this question honestly and with resolve? These thoughtful questions are ones
people have been asking themselves throughout the ages; questions, perhaps, we
have been asking ourselves too over the course of our spiritual journey.
I find it
helpful to reflect on a passage from St. John’s gospel to get a better
understanding on “how to” serve God in the way that God desires. It is the passage
where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples and when he has finished, he asked
them, “Do you realize what I have done
for you?” Not certain how they, the apostles, should respond, Jesus
continues… “I have given you a model to
follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do”. (John 13:15)
Jesus, ever
the teacher, gives us throughout His ministry a very simple example of how we
are to serve the Lord, Our God… by placing ourselves at the service of one
another. That’s the true measure of our loyalty to God ways. St. Paul gives us
some further guidance when he instructs the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”. (1COR 11:1) Imitation is the greatest form of
loyalty there is, seeking to imitate Jesus, our role model.
This question
about deciding whom we should serve is so very important today. There are many
activities competing for our time, our attention, money, and loyalty. Our own
individual choices we make in pursuit of happiness and the lure of the myriad
of technological advances that fill every waking hour leave very little time
for crucial activities such as spending quality family time together, engaging
in meaningful reflection, finding time for solitude and reflection…
Scripture
asks us today to decide, “Whom we will serve. May God’s grace lead us so we may
come to know, love, and serve Him in this life in order to share eternal life
with Him and in the life to come.
Enjoy the
day!
Deacon Tom
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