Useless Faith

July 11, Monday, 15th Week in Ordinary Time|Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot
Daily readings: Isaiah 1:10-17 Gospel: Matthew 10:34-11:1

Our faith is rendered useless unless we live the message of the Gospel.

In the First Reading, it seems God has had enough of people being two-faced, looking like sheep in wolves' clothing.

Are we the types who go to Masses and prayer meetings, and even serve in a parish, but then go home or to work and live less than pious lives?

Being a "good" person does not only mean we regularly go to Mass every Sunday or donate to charity. We will become perfect if we also live a life that is pleasing to God. When we preach in front of everyone that we should love our neighbor, we should also show our love to our own families.

We proclaim that God is love, yet we judge our neighbors when we see them inside the church. We may give five or six-digit figures as donations but then fall short in extending help to our household. We always pray that we will overcome financial issues, but we are too lazy to put in any extra effort at work.

"Faith without works is not pleasing in the eyes of God." Bring no more worthless offerings; your incense is loathsome to me (Isaiah 1:13). " God wants us to be consistent with our lives." Put away your misdeeds before my eyes; cease doing evil; learn to do good (Isaiah 1:16-17). "

In the Gospel, Jesus said that preaching and living the Gospel message here on earth is not easy work. For I have set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s enemies will be those of his household (Matthew 10:35–36).

We will face conflict not only with time and financial things but also with people: our friends, coworkers, and even family members. But if we do our best and people reject us, don't worry; God has something in store for them.

I think the worst is when others decide not to go back to church because they believe Christians are two-faced.

There is an assurance from Him that "whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple – amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." Our good deeds will not go unnoticed. There will be a place for us with Jesus in His Kingdom. That, I think, is the greatest reward of all.

According to St. Benedict, "The Lord expects us daily to respond with facts to the doctrines of his holy teachings." For this saint, work and prayer go together. True, we must have faith, but then we also have to do something, or our faith becomes useless.

We pray that St. Benedict’s spirituality also becomes our mantra: ora et labora.