THURSDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

-from Father Ron Rolheiser’s book, Prayer: Our Deepest Longing

What are the antibodies that create a healthy immune system within the body of Christ? If we can believe those who have been doctors of the soul, we create healthy antibodies when we silently suffer for each other, when we pray for each other, when we live our lives of quiet martyrdom, and when we emerge victorious in our little battles with what’s petty inside of us. Our seemingly small sins – the grudge, the little lie, and the petty jealousy – do make a difference. God cares about the little things as much as God cares about the great ones. God cares because the little things shape the big things. Social morality is simply a reflection of private morality. The global picture is what the microcosm of the human heart looks like when it is magnified. When the chaos that lies within the recesses of our private lives remains untouched and untamed, it will remain untouched and untamable in the world at large. The kingdom of God works by conversion, and conversion, in the final analysis, is an eminently personal act. Carlos Castaneda, the Peruvian-American mystic, says: I came from Latin America where intellectuals were always talking about political and social revolution and where a lot of bombs were thrown. But revolution has not changed much. It takes little daring to bomb a building, but in order to give up cigarettes or to stop being anxious or to stop internal chattering, you have to remake yourself. This is where real reform begins. (page 35)

Father Bill +