"Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but everyone for those of others."
Philippians 2:3-4
The folks at Pray-As-You-Go used this reading today and it really struck me. What if everyone heeded this from St. Paul? Oh, I'm sure there are many who do live this way, in the quiet of their own lives, but what if those in power thought more of others than themselves? Can you imagine how the world could change and heal? There must be a deep survival mechanism wired within us that causes us to look out for ourselves. But there is also a grace deep within that urges people to sacrificially serve others. Think of the heroes and heroines we hear of whenever there is a tragedy...the helpers, as Mister Rogers would say. Those are the people who react as this reading suggests, for others, putting others first, not looking out for themselves. That grace is stronger in them than the instinct to look out for their own safety or need. Today, as we still bask in the freshness of the new year, let's pray for help uncovering that grace within ourselves. God put it within us; it is there. We just need to tap into it. Love, heidi
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