God's Holy Order

05-16-2021Weekly Reflection© J. S. Paluch Company

There is a certain, sacred order to the way God envisions our place in the world. We are created inn love, for love. As disciples of Jesus Christ, God’s love is at the heart of all we are, have, and do. Peter was concerned that this holy order be restored following Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. Jesus’ selection of twelve apostles was significant for the Jewish people, a harkening to the twelve tribes of Israel.  In prayerfully discerning Matthias as the twelfth apostle, the bothers made certain that God’s holly order would prevail. Their witness ensured that Christ’s love would be shared and embraced to all the world and throughout time.

Keeping the Big Picture in Mind

As we near the end of the Easter season, the readings lead us to keep the big picture of Christ’s Paschal Mystery – Jesus’ life and ministry, passion, death and resurrection – and the impact it is to have in our lives at the center of all that we are and do. We who have been drawn to Christ through baptism are called to take on the mind, heart and life of our Lord. Jesus, who is God’s love incarnate, shows us the extent of God’s love and calls us to live this love in the world. We live in the world but do not belong to it. Ultimately, we belong to God. When we show love, especially when we sacrifice for the sake of another, we share in Christ’s saving love, building a bridge between God and humanity in Christ’s name.

Made Sacred in Truth

Jesus prayed to God the Father about his disciples. “Consecrate them in the truth.” To consecrate is to make holy. Jesus asks God to make us holy in the truth of God’s love which is poured upon us through the Holy Spirit. Think about this: we call the moment in which the bread and wine at Mass become the Body and Blood of Christ the consecration. The bread and wine are transformed and made sacred, holy. Remember, too, that as the gifts are brought forward for consecration, we join our lives, gifts, and resources in prayer, asking God to bless us, to consecrate us as well. In baptism, we are consecrated – we are set apart in Christ’s love. Knowing his should make a difference in the way we live our lives. Our consecration should be the benchmark for our attitudes and actions, the choices and decisions we make each day. What does it mean to you to be consecrated, to be called to holiness? How does this affect the way you live?