1 Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 17
Give honor to all, love the
community, fear God, honor the king.
We
are to be good citizens but God’s citizens first. We are to love our community.
One
recent change in the liturgy is in “Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word
and I shall be healed,” Catholics have said this for decades, but due to translation
changes those words have been amended to, “Lord, I am not worthy that you
should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”
This expression of faith makes me think of all those who are under my roof and
are under my protection but then I reflect further. I think of all those roofs
I am under: the church, my work, my community and family. I am humbled and ask
God to bless them all not just myself. We are not alone we are a community of
love.
Yes it is true we have
the freedom Christ gave us; but to be truly free we must serve and give reverence
to God, esteem for everyone and committed love for our fellow Christians. We
are to honor those who are under our roof and those whose roof we are under.
To honor someone means
we give great attention to them and listen to them when they talk (put down the
smart phone). If they make a request or suggestion we make every effort to do
it. It means you give them respect and high esteem; you treat them as being
special and of great worth. For indeed they are, did not our Lord die for them.
Christ asks us to go the extra mile with them; to accommodate them: out of
honor. This is the noble way we are to live.
In the movie Les
Misérables (1998 film), Liam Neeson plays, Jean Valjean, a man who was arrested for stealing
bread and after 19 years is released on parole. However, no one is willing to
allow him, a convict, to stay the night. Except for Bishop Myriel, who kindly
welcomes him into his home. Valjean explains to Myriel that sleeping in a real
bed will make him a new man. In the night, Valjean, interrupted by Myriel while
stealing his silverware, strikes him and flees. When the police arrest Valjean,
Myriel tells them that the silverware was a gift and scolds Valjean for failing
to take his candlesticks as well. Myriel then reminds Valjean that he is to
become a new man.[1]
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