Mar. 30, 2017: Thursday, Fourth Week of Lent

Mar. 30, 2017: Thursday, Fourth Week of Lent

Reclaiming Our Glory

They made a calf in Horeb and adored a molten image; They exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock. –Psalm 106: 19-20

You might wonder about the Israelites: After God did so much for them in the Exodus, why would they turn around and worship a golden calf? What ingrates! But, truth be told, we also spend our lives on silly things. Some folks play computer games for hours and neglect their relationships. Others spend money on frivolous things and go into debt. We use our time gossiping to the neglect of our children.

What did the Israelites sacrifice for their “calf-worshipping” behavior? Psalm 106 tells us that they exchanged their glory for such silliness. Glory is God’s light shining through the human person. It is God’s grace reaching out through our hands and feet to those in need. It is God’s grace that flows into a needy world through those who faithfully call to God asking for this grace.

When we surrender our lives to contemptible idolatries, we exchange our glory—we sell our dignity too cheaply. We would never think of selling a diamond for a few dollars, dollars, but we sometimes sacrifice the glory of our soul for passing entertainment or a fleeting high. We look at ourselves and fail to appreciate our God-imbued soul.

By Sr. Joan Mueller OSC, Journey to Joy

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