My brother's keeper

     The following is a reflection I posted for the Greensburg Diocesan Website for this weekend.

     The scriptures contain the life giving Word of God which challenges us to "turn away from sin" and live.  That word is an affirmation of the blessings that God has placed within us, but it is not all "warm and fuzzy".  That word is truth, and the truth can sometimes be hard to face, for that word calls us to transformation and new life.

     In the letter of Paul to the Romans on this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, we are reminded that we owe love to each other, "for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law", and the law is summed up in the love of God above all things and the love of neighbor as oneself.  When we stray from that commandment, that basic law of love, then we find ourselves lost and unable to focus.  We stumble and are unsure of our footing, yet often too proud to admit the fact.  Have you ever caught the edge of a curb or sidewalk and stumbled a little?  Once you regain your footing, you look around to see if anyone saw.  Then you pretend that it never happened.  Our pride keeps us off balance.

     The scriptures for this Sunday actually warns us to watch out for our brothers and sisters, to offer a steady arm to those who stumble, to point out the right path to those whose vision is clouded, to remind those who are confused that there is a truth that you can share with them that will lead them to eternal life.  We are called to not just be there if they ask for help, but to watch over and guide, to protect and defend, to reprove and to challenge our sisters and brothers, not in a self-righteous way, but in genuine love.  This is our responsibility and our duty.  This is our joy in bringing the message of salvation to all we meet by word and example.  It is a daunting challenge.  If you are like me, you probably would rather wait for someone to approach you before saying or doing something.  To stand up and give witness, to point to the truth, is much more difficult.

     On this Labor Day weekend, the U.S. Bishops issued a statement written by Bishop Stephen Blaire of California.  In the conclusion he states, speaking of work and workers, "We must remember that the heart of everything we do as believers must be love, for it is love which honors the dignity of work as participation in the act of God's creation, and it is love which values the dignity of the worker, not just for the work that he or she does, but above all for the person he or she is.  This call to love is also a work of faith an expression of hope."  We all need reminding of the call to witness to the truth.