Reflections of Caritas

“You have mercy on all, because you can do all things…” – Wisdom 11:23

I often wonder why the Lord is so patient and forgiving. I make many of the same mistakes, and commit many of the same sins, over and over again – perhaps you can relate. 

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“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18:14 

The Gospel passage for this upcoming Sunday is one of my favorites. It is a parable, wherein Jesus pits a proud Pharisee against a repentant tax collector. Both come to the Temple to pray. The Pharisee makes a spectacle of himself as he boasts of his adherence to the law. Meanwhile, the tax collector kneels down in the presence of the Lord and begs for mercy because of his many sins.

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“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 

Imagine that you wanted to build a house. How might you begin? Would you just go to the local hardware store, purchase some lumber, grab a hammer and nails, and start building? 

Of course not! First, you would look at other homes and perhaps some pictures to get an idea of what kind of style would best suit your needs. Then, you would visit with an architect to draw up a blueprint before beginning construction. Undoubtedly, it is more effective to follow some guidelines than to simply get started without a plan.

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“If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him.” – 2 Timothy 2:11-12 

In the 1995 film Braveheart, the Scottish warrior and main character William Wallace poetically rouses his countrymen to arms with the phrase, “Every man dies, not every man really lives.” It is a beautiful, pithy line, and it captures a quintessential truth: You won’t be truly alive unless you live for something greater than yourself.

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