GUARDING THE SACRED WITHIN


TUESDAY, TWELVETH WEEK IN ORDERINARY TIME

2 Kings 19:9-11,14-21,31-36; Ps 48:2-4,10-11; Mt 7:6,12-14

Reverence for the Sacred

Coming to the awareness of the sacredness of God and how that relates to your happiness and wellness in this life is not a mean achievement. Not many people seek to understand life and its meaning. Many people live like animals with eyes for sensible attractions alone. The Christian faith is a great gift we must cherish and thank God for. With the Christian faith comes the gift of self-awareness as we receive a new birth in God through Jesus Christ. The Son of Man lays the foundation of Christian spirituality in genuine self-discovery, which can only be given by the light of faith in Jesus Christ. We become aware of the holiness of God within the new and true self that Christ reveals within us. This knowledge is uncommon and must be guarded and cherished. We must make it our dwelling place and principle of our thoughts, words, and actions. The Son reveals the Father and the Godhead to us when we get converted from our sins and sinful lifestyle to communion with the Trinity. This revelation forms the origin of our new spiritual self, arising at the wane of the old sinful self.

The knowledge and reverence for God that our encounter and faith in Jesus Christ produce in us form the precious pearl that the Lord talks about in the Gospel. “Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.” God’s indwelling within us is a gift that is not given to everyone, nor is the gift of faith common among men. So, we must shield our sacred gifts from unbelievers. Keeping the core of the sacred within, away from the public and from the desecrators of the holy, does not imply refusing to let the divine light shine on others. The Lord noted this point in urging us to treat others as we would want to be treated. “So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.” This injunction is satisfied when we let the Gospel light shine in all we do. Through the love of God poured into our hearts, we see, understand, appreciate, and relate with others. This accords with our Lord's admonition that we let our light shine among men for them to give glory to God. Most importantly, our presentations of ourselves to the public go a long way to guarantee the effectiveness of our preaching of the Gospel.

Living in the light of the Gospel means dying to ourselves. This is the narrow path that the Lord suggested for us to follow, different from the lifestyle of the proud worldlings. “Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” For some of us who are parents, the manner in which we are raising our children today would guarantee they never find or be able to walk the narrow path. Walking in the interior light of the Gospel means shedding our likes and preferences for God. To the extent we conform ourselves to the inner light showing us God's will, to that extent we are formidable to the enemies of our salvation and God. This is illustrated in the story of King Hezekiah and the Assyrian invasion of the kingdom of Judah. Because Hezekiah was familiar with the interior presence of God, he presented the threat of the king of Assyria to God. “Hezekiah took the letter from the hands of the messenger and read it; he then went up to the Temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.” God heard his prayer and delivered his people in accordance with his holy will. Hezekiah knew the sacred name of the God of Israel, who dwells in the midst of his people, and invoked Him against those who despised God to their ruin. He who dwells within us is our refuge and protector.

Let us pray: Grant, O Lord, that we may always revere and love your holy name, for you never deprive of your guidance those you set firm on the foundation of your love. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. 

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