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Today in all three readings
we are reminded that the Word of God has been placed in our hearts in
order that it may bear fruit. God has done his part, now it is up
to us.
There is a whole industry today based on self-help programs. You
can go to any bookstore and find countless books on how to have a better
self-image, how to be your own best friend, how to be a million dollar
salesperson, etc. The list is almost endless. What most of these books
have in common is what we learn from the gospel today “Nothing
that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that
come from within are what defile.”
We have been given the most powerful tool ever discovered in the
universe, our human mind! This mysterious gift is capable of creating
imagination, which in turn can transform the whole world. Today we are
reminded to be extremely careful of how we use this wonderful gift.
Where is your treasure? What is most important to you? Is it your
family? Then your imagination is thinking up creative ways to
improve the life of your family. Is your job most important right
now? If so, your imagination should be working on ways to improve your
circumstances at work. If we allow our imaginations to turn to
baser concerns, they will just as successfully generate the ways and
means to get us into trouble. The same human imagination that conquered
polio was able to devise the atom bomb! The gift is ours, how we choose
to use it is up to us.
This is one of the reasons prayer is so important in our lives. Prayer
lifts our minds and hearts o God. Our mental union with God purifies and
clarifies our minds and our imaginations. Prayer disciplines our minds
to concentrate on more than mere sensual stimulation. It also lifts our
spirit into contact with the God Jesus called Father.
It was no accident that Jesus was so often at prayer in his life.
Prayer kept him in focus, prayer kept him in contact with his Father.
How much would you pray for unlimited power and energy? How hard would
you discipline yourself in order to achieve the success you want in
life? Begin the practice of regular prayer today.
Bring yourself, your family,
your friends, your work, and your problems to the Lord in daily prayer.
It costs nothing but your time and prayer is the taproot for success in
your life. As Christians we believe in the sanctity of human
labor. We believe that God has given us freedom, talents, and strengths
to support our families and our communities.
What we do with those gifts is our gift to God. God bless you and
keep you safe this Labor Day.
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