Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Lent 2010, Day 18

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:1-2
Here St. Paul asks Christians to present themselves, their lives, and their activities daily as an offering to God. That's more than putting your mouth where your money is; that's putting your life on the line for your beliefs even when it mostly means carpooling and grocery shopping. Many Catholics do this with a daily prayer that offers "our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings" to God to use as He desires.

In this process, of course, we gradually morph into the successful, happy person God had in mind when He created us. Our big nemesis is the pervasive culture we live in. We fight it by our willingness to obey God rather than Madison Avenue, Hollywood, political parties, or peer pressure.

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