«Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth».
2 Timothy 2:15
When Jesus sent the seventy out on their mission, he said to them: “Behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves” (Luke 10:3), preparing them to face, sooner or later, the strength of the wolves that are in the world. What instead catches many unprepared in our day is having to deal with wolves that sneak directly into the sheepfold, disguised as sheep, but also with some sheep that behave like wolves. If we have become accustomed to the flourishing of ecclesial realities that are dynamic but light, sparkling but superficial, more inclined to liturgical modernization than theological content, apostasy and false teachings are quite another matter. In the vast ecclesial ocean, we navigate among boats full of “lies” passed off as biblical gold that are polluting the waters and intoxicating Christianity. I believe that by now it is not just a question of a change in language and style, but of a storm that pushes us to look for a diversion, for celebrations that involve us not only emotionally but also physically. Without wanting to judge anyone, I remain perplexed by the widespread compromise of accommodating belief and lowering levels of ethics and morality in order to welcome people into clubs. I am also concerned about the spread of scriptural teachings that have been manipulated artfully and without any shame.
We are not given the power to weed out the darnel (Matthew 13:25-40). Time will reveal it. Time will also allow us to taste the fruits of each tree. So let's learn to recognize the fruits and discern what is presented as divine revelation without being fooled by appearances (1 Samuel 16:7). Personally, I want to take a bath of humility every day; let me explain. The word “humility” comes from the earth (from the Latin humus); therefore, he who comes from the earth, that is, who is at the bottom, is humble. The humble, that is to say, those who do not judge, criticize, boast, despise, exalt themselves, or seek their own glory, are an endangered species, almost impossible to find nowadays. Yet in the nativity story of the Gospel of Luke, the good news is first given to the humble shepherds, to tell us that God seeks out and reveals himself to the humble, who are invited to kneel at the feet of Christ. Every day we run the risk of letting ourselves be dragged along by a society that no longer knows how to look at the heart, by a context with few moral virtues. As a result, believers begin to shy away from biblical teachings and precepts, because they consider them inconvenient and not useful for their own miserable needs. The arduous task of biblical preaching remains the primary tool for safeguarding general spiritual well-being. If it is difficult to meet the needs of the individual and help them overcome them, it is even more difficult to carry out the governance necessary for the consolidation of the work.
Only those who are called to the ministry know how complicated it is to remain at the helm of a community, to uproot and tear down and, at the same time, to sow and build. Even more difficult is defending and protecting from those who should be allies but instead turn out to be enemies. Only those on the front line know those moments when motivation wanes, passion dies and the heart falters. But as it was for Jeremiah, just then we feel a burning fire that revives us and allows us to continue. We learn to open the door of our heart, and therefore to offer a piece of our trust to those who strive to cut the word of truth rightly, without ever chasing personal interests and advantages. Those who instead enter through the window, forcing their will, violating sensitivity or abusing naivety, are thieves and mercenaries (John 10:1). Let's remember this! Let's not be attracted by special effects, nor be charmed by success and the glory of numbers on social media, but let's seek only the preached word without compromise. Happiness does not consist in rising above others, but in serving those in need, as the Master Jesus did: to be great one must first of all be and become small. Our aim is to preach the good news so that people can be saved and enter the kingdom of God. We should avoid anything that might lead in the opposite direction. This is the meaning of the exhortation to Timothy. Lord, help us to cut Your word rightly.
Weekly Bible Reading Plan #11
March 10, Deuteronomy 10-12; Mark 12:1-27
March 11, Deuteronomy 13-15; Mark 12:28-44
March 12, Deuteronomy 16-18; Mark 13:1-20
March 13, Deuteronomy 19-21; Mark 13:21-37
March 14, Deuteronomy 22-24; Mark 14:1-26
March 15, Deuteronomy 25-27; Mark 14:27-53
March 16, Deuteronomy 28-29; Mark 14:54-722
Comments