To achieve “order” in life, one must seek appropriate “priorities”.
In yesterday’s reflection, we learned how to prioritize our lives through the words and examples of God the Father, Jesus, and Mother Mary. The Pharisees often say, “the most important thing to me is God”. If we say something is important, we cannot only talk the talk but we must also walk the walk; otherwise, like the Pharisees, we become hypocrites. However, do we truly deem Jesus Christ the core and centre of our life and regard our relationship with Him as the primary and most important one; or do we seek God only in our spare time when we have finished everything else? Only our heart would know whether God is the big rock, gravel or sand in our life.
We need to recognize that God desires us to seek Him first and place Him at the centre of our life. Not only has He created us, wants us to share in His love, and accompany and live with us on our journey, but He also knows that we need to rely on His grace and power in order to overcome the challenges of our time with peace, joy, and courage! Therefore, we need to constantly seek God and listen to Him, for this will bring us the greatest benefits. What the Father wants for us reveals Him as a giver without condition or bottom line.
For this reason, the busier we are and the more things we need to manage, the greater our needs of returning to God. Like our cell phone, the more we use it, the more battery it consumes; therefore, it needs more time to be recharged. Such is, indeed, a simple truth.
You may have heard of this: We cannot give to others what we don’t have. How true is this! When we don’t have food, we cannot help the hungry; without clothes, we cannot clothe the naked. In the same way, if we have not received love, peace, and strength from God, how would we be able to serve the least of Jesus’ sisters and brothers (Ref. Matthew 25:31-46)?
From the Old Testament miracle of God’s gift of manna, to Jesus’ miracle of the “multiplication of five loaves and two fish” in the New Testament; subsequently sacrificing Himself for us and offering His body to be our daily bread, God has never stopped caring for our physical and spiritual needs. In truth, God, who has also gifted us with free-will, does not force us to seek fulfillment of our physical and spiritual needs from Him. However, the Father’s heart is pained by our stubbornness when we continue to rely solely on our insufficient strength against our struggles.
Indeed, the Father desires us to set appropriate priorities in our lives as we learn how to make better choices, so that we may find the necessary order in our life. Life’s natural rhythm constantly brings us back to the fountain where we may refresh our life with the living water.
As we strive to return to our Father with a humble heart, we need to know our needs first, and have the humility to recognize our limitations and helplessness.
In the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 1, Verses 30 and 31, it says,
“Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them”.
A life without Jesus is a life that is lacking and lost; a life that is constantly wasting away, as well, a life that doesn’t recognize its own disorders.
If we constantly seek strength and healing in Jesus, like Simon’s mother-in-law, we will be empowered to serve Jesus and those who need our service and care, the ones Jesus described as the least of our sisters and brothers.
Prayer is the most effective way to take care of ourselves; it is an invitation to let God dwell in us. As discussed earlier, we can’t give to others what we don’t have. If God is our best gift to others, we ourselves need to be constantly filled with God; such that our cup overflows and pours over others.
Mother Teresa once said,
“Prayer enlarges the heart until it is capable of containing God’s gift of himself.”
Reflection
Do you recognize the connection between the order in your life and God’s place in your heart? If today’s reflection has enlightened you in any way, how would you reorganize the priorities in your life?
Do you think you could obtain what you lack in life through your relationship with God?
Please take a few moments of silence and allow the Father’s generous gaze overshadow you; let your exhausted body be healed, and let His peace and grace overflow you.
Today’s Prayer
My Abba Father in Heaven, today’s reflection has awakened me to see that Your deepest concern is not about how we may become Your instruments or to collaborate with You, but about our every need. You want me to be whole, body, mind and soul. You desire to sooth my pain, heal my wound, comfort my heartbreak, encourage me when I am in distress! You never remain indifferent to even my smallest concerns. Thank you for allowing me to truly understand Your concerns for me. Let me never forget that whatever awaits me in the future, if I know how to return to You, You will welcome me back into Your embrace; my spirit will be revived. Grant me the eyes of faith and learn to hold on to You! Father, I thank You! I love You!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
My mom used to tell me that ‘the more you give, the more you’ll have’. I had no idea what seems a contradictory statement means back then. It was not until my baptism and launching on some voluntary work did I have time to reflect on this again.
We will be more willing to give what we have, e.g. talents, wealth, time, if we consider those are all gifts from God. And through sharing, not only shall we not losing what we have, we will get back much more in return.
Oh Lord, You know my needs and please help me to know the others’ too!