Mine is the silver and mine the gold—oracle of the LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2:8 NABRE)
Through the prophet Haggai, God reminds his people that he owns all that he has created. This means we are but custodians of his property. We are stewards of his silver and his gold, and we are expected to use his resources for his glory, not ours.
Israel at that time was to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. God promised he remained with them and would provide all the necessary resources for the task. Their part was to have courage and get to work. (Haggai 2:4)
In the same way, God calls us to share his resources with others in need. We look after what is God's and part of this work is advancing the needs of our neighbors. Another part of this is protecting our common home, as Pope Francis tells us in his letter, Laudato Si, On Care For Our Common Home.
Today, as Pope Francis addresses world leaders at the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, we join in prayer for the progress of all peoples:
O God, who gave one origin to all peoples
and willed to gather from them one family for yourself,
fill all hearts, we pray, with the fire of your loveand kindle in them a desirefor the just advancement of their neighbor,
that, through the good things which you richly bestow upon all,
each human person may be brought to perfection,every division may be removed,and equity and justice may be established in human society.
Through Christ our Lord.*
Today, I will pray that every division among us be removed.
Blesseds Louis Martin and Zelie Guerin, parents of Saint Thérese of the Child Jesus who once wrote, "God gave me a father and a mother more worthy of heaven than of earth," pray for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment