Model the Message

On the bedroom wall, I have a framed calligraphic rendering of my favorite message from the prophet Micah: “This is what the Lord asks of you, only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, and to walk humbly with your God.”

It is challenging to manifest that in this angry world. I need to strive daily to strengthen the holy center I speak from, especially when dealing with such issues. And, as the saying goes, I need to be the change I want to see in the world. With God’s help, I can do that – or at least do the best I can, which is all that God asks of us. And to recall what John’s Gospel tells us: “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us.”

Can we do our darndest to try to model this every day? To model the message? That is a form of ministry, after all. And we never know whose heart we might touch, even though they – and we – may not realize it at the moment. Or as Mother Teresa puts it, “Loving as He loves, helping as He helps, giving as He gives, serving as He serves, rescuing as He rescues, being with Him twenty-four hours, touching Him in his distressing disguise.” Because they, too, are children of God.

Let us pray these words of Dag Hammarskjold, the deeply faithful first Secretary-General of the United Nations: Have mercy upon us. Have mercy upon our efforts, that we before Thee in love and in faith, righteousness, and humility, may follow Thee with self-denial, steadfastness, and courage, and meet Thee in the silence. Give us a pure heart that we may see Thee, a humble heart, that we may hear Thee, a heart of love that we may love Thee. Thou, whom I do not know but whose I am. Thou, whom I do not comprehend but who hast dedicated me to my fate. Thou ………… Amen.