Thursday, August 20, 2015

The Gospel of You

We are writing a gospel little by little, day by day. It’s the gospel of you, the gospel of me. What kind of gospel will it be?
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The gospels were written to tell the world about Jesus and to spread the good news that God loves us and calls us to love and take care of one another. Officially the Church recognizes only four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But in reality there are many, many gospels. Just at our 10:00 AM Sunday Mass alone there are over 200 gospels in the making.

One of my teachers in diaconal formation made a point that has stayed with me over the years: each of us is writing a gospel, little by little, day by day. It is the gospel of you; the gospel of me — for each of our lives is a living gospel.

And by writing our gospel we are making Jesus present in our world. We are doing with our lives and our actions what Father will do with his hands when he consecrates and elevates the Eucharist.

In the end, our gospel can be truly beautiful. But how it turns out depends on our understanding of what Jesus wants from us, and how we translate that understanding into the way we interact with others and live out our lives.

So, what kind of gospel are we writing today?

Are we writing a gospel that shows by our actions that the quality of our Catholic faith is measured not by how well we celebrate our liturgies, but by how as Saint James tells us in his New Testament letter we care for and stand with those on the fringes of society: the poor, the vulnerable, the unlovable, the disenfranchised? For that is where we find Christ.

Are we writing a gospel that shows by our actions that every human being is made in the image and likeness of God, and that all human life is sacred from womb to tomb, from unborn child to the terminally ill; from prisoners of war to the prisoner on death row?

Are we writing a gospel that shows by our actions that each and every person is a beloved child of God and deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, kindness and love - regardless of race, religion, gender, economic status, or sexual orientation?

Are we writing a gospel that shows by our actions that God has entrusted this planet to us; that we are not owners of the earth but rather stewards — caretakers, of God’s creation?

When we look around, when we read the papers or watch the news, we can see a world that is hungry for the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. That good news, that gospel can come alive in our little corner of the world through our lives, our actions and our love.

We are writing a gospel little by little, day by day. It is the gospel of you, the gospel of me. What kind of a gospel will it be?

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Readers of this blog might enjoy these books by Deacon Lex. Both are available on Amazon.com:

Just to Follow My Friend: Experiencing God’s Presence in Everyday Life

Synchronicity as the Work of the Holy Spirit: Jungian Insights for Spiritual Direction and Pastoral Ministry