Sunday Reflections

A Life of Fulfillment

The Constitutions of the Congregation of the Resurrection indicate that each Resurrectionist is “to give glory to God by manifesting the presence of the Risen Christ to the world” (article 5). The gospel this Sunday provides a blue print of how a Resurrectionist—and indeed each Christian—might accomplish this task. Jesus points to the value of being poor in spirit, of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, of showing mercy, and of being a peacemaker. One might think about what would happen if we were to choose to live in this manner. The life of Jesus, which was a clear manifestation of this pattern of living, suggests that this way of life is not a path to diminishment but to fulfillment. 

There is an old axiom that if you want people to be kind to you, you should become kind to others; that if you want people to be generous with you, you should be generous to others; and if you want people to love you, you should love others. Similarly, in accord with our gospel, if you are a person of mercy, you will become merciful = full of mercy. If you are a peacemaker, you will become peaceful = full of peace. If you are a person of hope, you will become hopeful = full of hope. If you are a person of prayer, you will become prayerful = full of prayer.  Indeed, if you live in these ways, you will become fulfilled. 

Our world constantly bombards us with the message that happiness comes from having this or that, looking like this or that, being this or that, buying this or that. In other words, happiness comes by filling ourselves up.  The message of Jesus is a different one: instead of filling ourselves up, we should learn to empty ourselves for the sake of another. This is actually the path to happiness and fulfillment. This a path to manifest the presence of the Risen Christ to the world.