Photo illustration by Phil Younk
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True happiness comes in serving others
Based on Am 8:4-7, 1 Tm 2:1-8, Lk 16:1-13
In the Gospels the past few Sundays, Jesus spoke about the demands of discipleship. He said people are more important than money and things. Jesus taught about true riches – to love and be loved.
Jesus is not just urging us to be unselfish and to serve and help people as a way to be happy. What Jesus is calling us to do is see that our lives, talents, abilities, time, possessions and money have been given to us to manage and use for building a lasting relationship between God and ourselves, and between others and ourselves.
To be his disciples, we must give up material things that do not have love for God and others as their goal. We must serve others in everything we do. If we faithfully use what God has given us, as he intended, he will give us heaven. This is Jesus’ “Good News.”
An excellent example of serving others is seeing the hundreds of electric and water utility workers, construction workers, medical staff, firefighters, police officers, social workers and other volunteers helping the victims of floods, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and other violent storms that have struck throughout the world. We must pray for all the people who have suffered because of these disasters and pray for the people who are trying to help.
The church, through its missionaries and network of ministries, helps people in need, not only in countries all over the globe but even in our country.
We can show our love for God and for people in need by making donations to organizations such as Catholic Charities, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Catholic Relief Services, the Catholic Church Extension Society and others.
“Children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in deed and truth.” (1 Jn 3:18).
