Matthew 23: 1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. They love to have the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father—the one in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Share Our Riches, Talents, and Gifts
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;
but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
How important is humility? How dangerous is it to put ourselves above and ahead of others? When I lead retreats at the high school where I minister, I meet with the student leaders several times before the retreat and one of the first things I tell them is… “this retreat is not about you.” I stress to them that what they are doing is for others, it is for the retreatants that they will be leading. I challenge them to take the focus from themselves and put it on the retreatants. This is how Jesus is calling us to live, not for ourselves but for others.
Living our lives for others brings greater joy. We will never find joy and happiness in having a bigger house or a nicer car. We will never find happiness in having more money or more awards. We will always want more. But, when we give our time and energy for others, we will find greater happiness and greater joy. Why is this? Because we are living out the Gospel. Jesus never said to store up riches for ourselves. He said to share our riches, to share our talents, to share our gifts.
—Ed DeVenney is the Director of Campus Ministry at Saint Ignatius High School in Cleveland, Ohio. He and his wife, Colleen are very proud of their two sons, Brendan and Daniel, who both work in Catholic education. Ed and Colleen live in northeast Ohio with their dog, Spencer.
Prayer
As Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, so beautifully said: “Live as men and women who will live not for themselves but for God and his Christ... men and women who cannot even conceive of a love of God which does not include love for the least of their neighbors; men and women completely convinced that a love of God which does not issue in justice for others is a farce." Amen.
—Ed DeVenney, adapted from an address to Jesuit high school alumni by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, in 1973