Weekly Encouragement August 9th
Dear Friends,
I know I'm not alone in saying the world appears to be getting weirder. When I think back ten years, I can't believe how quickly some things have changed in our society, and not for the better. I shudder to think what we might face ten years in the future.
Nonetheless, I take comfort in the eternal ground of being - the God all the philosophers sought, the God Israel worshiped and obeyed, the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and in Him we find our stability.
On this solid foundation, we build lives that look different than the world. And to have the courage to live differently - and better - we need God's grace to cultivate all the fruits of the Spirit. It can be done, with God's help!
Keep reading for my reflection on kindness.
God bless you all!
In Christ,
Andrew Petiprin
Director of Community Life
Christ the King Catholic Church
My children often describe other kids at school in two categories: mean and nice. Unfortunately, when my wife and I have to discipline them, their default thinking is that it's "mean," and when they get to have ice cream or time playing video games, we're being "nice." In these moments I attempt to explain that "mean" and "nice" aren't really the way Christians ought to think. Rather, we think in terms of being "kind," which sometimes requires seriousness, detachment, cold truth-telling, or even discipline.
Think about it:
Have you ever noticed in the Bible that Jesus is often not nice. He says about Judas, "It would have been better for that man if he had not been born" (Matthew 26:24). He calls a Canaanite woman a dog (Matthew 15:21-28). He says to a fig tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again!" (Mark 11:14). He tells one rich man to give up all of his wealth (Luke 18:18), but accept only half the wealth from another rich man (Luke 19:1-10). And the granddaddy of them all, he tells a confused St. Peter, "Get behind me Satan!" (Matthew 16:23).
But Jesus never fails to show love, even when it's tough love. In this way, his kindness never fails, and he shows us how to navigate our own relationships. Kindness is one of those things we know when we see, and when we see it, we recognize it is different and better than mere "niceness." We may recognize kindness by what is lacking from it: cruelty and selfishness. Kindness is always sincere, and always intended to bring about the good of the other, whatever that good may be (hence, Jesus talks to people in the Bible in all kinds of different ways, depending on what they, personally, need to hear).
So, pray for more kindness this week - and a little bit of niceness couldn't hurt either!
Prayer:
Father, we give you thanks for the kindness you show us every day. Give us grace to see those around us as you do. Shape our hearts to be like yours, and guide us with your Spirit in showing kindness and generosity to others. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.