Making a difference

Good News Reflection
Friday of the 4th Week in Ordinary Time
February 5, 2010

Today's Memorial: Saint Agatha
Pray for protection from natural disasters:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Agatha.htm

Today's Readings:
Sirach 47:2-11
Ps 18:31, 47, 50, 51
Mark 6:14-29
http://www.usccb.org/nab/020510.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_02_05.mp3

Making a difference

What kind of reputation do you have? Have you ever felt a need to defend it? If your Christian lifestyle is so obvious that your example challenges others to change, those who don't want to change are trying to "cut you down to size", belittling you in order to stop feeling the challenge.

Such was Herod's reason for cutting off the head of John the Baptist in today's Gospel passage. What an honor to be ranked with the likes of him: condemned because of our holiness!

In the first reading, we hear a posthumous acclamation of King David's reputation. What will people say about you when you're dead? At your funeral, will they share stories about the difference you made in this world? How many people will show up, not because they're relatives who have to be there, but because you touched them with the love of Jesus?

Regardless of what you've done wrong, regardless of how you've failed, regardless of what you regret, if you've grown from it and if others have met Jesus when they encountered you, your faith and love is what they will remember.

How many other souls will know Jesus better because of the impact you've made? There's no way of knowing this until after you die. I'm looking forward to the party that Jesus will throw at the great banquet for my Home-coming; I'm going to say: "Okay, who of you are here because of something I've done? Stand in line and introduce yourselves to me. I want to meet you!" What a fun reunion that will be!

Any loving gesture that we give to others is the touch of Jesus. Daily, we have many encounters that can potentially change lives. Don't be discouraged by the invisibility of some of these changes. Don't be mistaken by a lack of evidence. Never assume that some of your loving gestures are too small to make a difference. Even a smile can give Jesus to others. A kind word to someone who's frustrated, a helping hand to someone who's tired, and a pat on the back of someone who's feeling low – these can make a difference that could affect their eternal souls.

Pray this with me: Lord Jesus, help me to give You to everyone I meet. Holy Spirit, help me to notice every opportunity that comes my way. Loving Father, help me to decrease so that Your Son's presence within me will increase. I want to make an eternal difference in other people's lives. Truly, amen.

See you at the party in heaven!

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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