The homily at mass today was one I consider among the best I have heard. Delivered by a Filipino priest, it was so simple so much that it was easy to grasp. Unlike some other sermons delivered which tend to fall on the wordy nerdy side of telling, this one talked straight from the heart to other hearts. Others failing this criteria will find me appreciating the architectural details of the church or chapel more rather than on God’s servant on the mike telling me how to be a good Christian. Oh but I do find others with their own ways of coping with a boring bland delivery… they doze it off or walk out to smoke their cigarettes. (This doesn’t happen with Bishop Soc Villegas with his homilies. In ten minutes, you get the right dose of medicine for your soul. You come out of church happy that you went in.) In this article he talks about ‘homily abuse’……..…
http://www.rappler.com/na…/88758-bishop-warning-homily-abuse
Today’s homily in essence says about living a life not simply for ourselves but for others, too. Further down the narrative the priest tells of a story of new graduates for the priesthood. When asked how they see their future in about 5 – 10 years in the midst of the political and social problems of the day, the common reply was ‘I’d be very successful… get to a high position… storm the Vatican with my brilliance…’ Then the priest turned to us and said ‘Nothing wrong with all that. But what will you do with what ails your country and people?’
These are times when one is called to be more for others, too. Sadly this is not much understood in some. I have read this somewhere...a writer remarked that the present generation is called the ‘me generation’. The question topmost in one’s head when something presents itself is ‘What’s in it for me?’
Observe our politicians today as they gear themselves for the coming election; notice their gestures, mannerisms, their beliefs, thoughts-words-deeds. Do they seem familiar?
A wise man once said that ‘People are mirrors of you and me. Their good and their bad.’ Thus, they are not just bad politicians to whom we entrust the leadership and management of our country with, we are bad voters too. Is that right?
Selfishness. Selflessness. Two words poles apart (i.e. North Pole, South Pole) in meaning and intent. As defined by Webster…. Selfishness is the quality of being selfish. Selfish is lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure. Selflessness or selfless is having or showing great concern for other people and little or no concern for yourself.
Like mom would often say…. ‘Honey, life is not all about you. It’s also about others, too. Life is about being in this together.’ By God's design.
Let's be kinder. God bless you and your loved ones.
The true purpose of your life is to touch the life of someone else in the way that could, perhaps, not be achieved otherwise :-)
ReplyDeleteBut sometimes...just sometimes...it is good to be self-centered too and put yourself before someone else :-)
It's something that I have been struggling for a long time - where I am the person giving, giving and giving but I feel in return I only get hurts. It is not always about me. It can't always be about me but sometimes, it feels good to make it about me. I too am important....
Interesting post....and it's difficult to find the thin line between self-centered and selfish.
Hi Divya,
DeleteI don't remember who said it but someone had said that.... 'We need to love ourselves first of all. Only then when we are sated, content, and confident would we be able to know how to love others best.' That is correct... because how can we love better with nothing within us to offer or give. You can't give what you don't have. Love has to reside within first before it can be offered out to the world.
Those two words... self-centered and selfish..... run along the same vein, I think. Preoccupation with self. But I could be wrong.
Take care. Blessings to you and your family.