We are called to serve
The Catechism of the Catholic Church in number 2013 reminds us: “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity” (LG 40 # 2). All are called to holiness: “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
Therefore, all of us are called to strive to live a life of holiness. We have to make an effort to foster our proximity to the Lord. Thus, God’s laws are supposed to bring our hearts closer to Him and to his people in love. In the instances that we do otherwise, the laws become obstacles even to justice and decency in our day to-day interactions with our fellow humans. In this way, we have to ponder, where are our hearts and what is in them? We hope that when looking at us the Lord would not complain, “This people honours me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mk 7:6).
Our Christian life should conduct us to holiness, to love God and our neighbour. That is the reason why we need to constantly purify our heart and keep it on serving and loving God and our neighbour, “doing the will of the Father in everything, they may wholeheartedly devote themselves to the glory of God and to the service of their neighbour. Thus, the holiness of the People of God will grow in fruitful abundance, as is clearly shown in the history of the Church through the lives of so many saints” (LG 40 # 2).
The external observance of God’s commandments without charity in our hearts can become a hindrance to holiness. Thus, our Sunday worship should permeate everything we do during the week. We must not minimize the profound value of the Eucharistic celebration on Sunday, and the profound value and impact the Sunday Eucharist has for us for the rest of the week.
We need to avoid identifying religion with performing external acts. Going to Church, saying prayers, reading the Bible and giving to charity do not in themselves guarantee holiness. We also have to serve our neighbour; we have to make an effort to perform acts of kindness every day to serve God and our neighbour.
Hence, as a way of service, I invite all of you to bring to prayer the opportunities in which you can serve the Lord in our neighbour, by assisting those who are homebound like the senior residents of the nursing homes of our communities, or proclaiming the Word of God, or helping to distribute Communion at Mass, or bringing food through our monthly hamper program, and through the many other opportunities here at St. Anthony’s Parish.
Let us not only pay lip service to the Lord but let us strive for holiness in acting in charitable ways towards our neighbour.