Christian maturity

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Matthew 21:28-32 

The readings this Sunday appear progressive.  From integrity of following the law in the Book of Ezekiel to doing God's will in the gospel of Matthew, the message speaks a lot about our growth in Christian life.

St. Teresa of Avila even wrote a book on her experience of communion of God in prayer titled "Interior Castle".  In this this castle, there are seven mansions, each going a level deeper and more intense in one's encounter with God.  The castle is the state of the soul in one's search for God within.

Christian life begins with level one:  doing good and avoiding evil based on the covenant with God,
the Ten Commandments.  If we're really intent on following God, we should heed every one of his commands.

The second level to Christian maturity is utmost humility.  "Jesus did not cling to his equality with God, but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, (Phil. 2: 7).  Only the humble of heart is open to following God's commands and not simply follow the law.

The third level is in the gospel, "The one who did his father's will."  Actually, Elizabeth Scalia enumerated three "dangerous" prayers which may symbolize our deepest relationship with God.  These are:

1. "Let your will be done." - It is also the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemani; it depicts a prayer of total submission to the Father's will;

2.  "Ruin my life, Lord." - This prayer runs counter to what we usually pray:  "Please don’t wreck my life!”  But there's another prayer by Sir Francis Drake that best describes this sentiment:  "Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore..."

3.  "May my life yours." - This prayer is similar to St. Ignatius' prayer of generosity, "Take and receive of Lord my liberty, my will, my mind, my memory..."

If we live out these prayers, only then can God work wonders in our lives.

Comments