Today’s readings:
James 4:1-10
Psalms 55:7-11, 23
Mark 9:30-37
The Holy Spirit reminds me through the Letter from St. James that I should not love the world so much. I should be careful about seeking praise, awards, promotions and the like. I shouldn’t define my success by the percentage growth of my stock portfolio, but by the growth of my love. How do I measure love? By how much I sacrifice. I should make a list of how I love the world. In an opposite column, I should set a goal of sacrificing the things on the list for the love of God. Over time, as I cross things off from the “worldly column,” I would psychologically reinforce my growth in love.
God gives grace to the humble, and I’m a proud man that needs to be humble. I can see it in my work; I am proud of my accomplishments. My ego puffs from praise. I feel rejected if others don’t recognize my contribution. I seek to be seen as “perfect” in the world, but not “perfect” in the eyes of God.
I feel so stressed these past couple weeks because I’m so concerned about accomplishing things that are important in this world. I should throw my cares to the Lord. He will support me. Instead of worrying about worldly things, I should worry about how much I love my neighbor. Instead of rushing off to cross out the next to-do item, check the next email, run to the next meeting, I should seek to genuinely help another person with no expectation of return.
“If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35).