February
6, 2005
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Mt
5:13 - 16
Americans
are well known for creating words and catch phrases to describe situation,
products or people. They have given us the cookie jar, G.I's and the
Five and Ten store. One American has claimed that the Church has become
largely a community of gospel-consumers rather that gospel-creators.
He uses the phrase gospel-consumers to describe people who avail of
all the community and the Church has to offer by way of services, schools
and sacraments but who give little back in return. They admire and may
benefit from the community association, the trade union or the Vincent
de Paul but they leave it to others to carry the can, They may even
enjoy good Sunday liturgy but let others take the trouble of making
it happen. They consume what is on offer and then walk away.
Christ
has called us to be creators rather than consumers, to serve rather
than to be served, to be the light of the world by our lifestyle rather
than mere critics of the darkness of the world's selfishness. WE live
in a polluted atmosphere of get rather than give. The pollution has
touched most of us. Today's gospel is a challenge to be a light of unselfishness
in the deepening darkness of self-centeredness, to be a creator of Christian
community rather than just a consumer, to take Christ at his word and
to lay down one's life for others.