The world approves and allows for nearly everything. To the squandering of time or fortune or one’s heart, and even to the most blatant acts of foolishness and guilt, it closes its eyes, smiles, or applauds. On the other hand, do not try to consecrate some of yourself or your time or money to God's cause. Such a way of living your life is not pleasing to this superficial world, which considers itself to be deprived of all you give to eternal things and to your brothers and sisters; it will not tolerate such theft. The love of God is the only eccentricity the world does not and will never accept.I never would have thought of turning one's talents or resources to God as "theft" from the world, but that is a powerful point of view. And it rather helps explain some of the vehement responses from the secular world to the religious one.
Elisabeth Leseur
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Well Said: The world approves and allows for nearly everything
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It is an interesting point of view and does explain a lot in our ME ME ME world. And if you are taking something from ME then it is theft.
ReplyDeleteBut theft is defined as usurping property from its *rightful owner* and that is where the view is misguided, as it presumes that "The World" owns those resources.
I love the section on the 7th Commandment in The Catechism as it discusses how if we are not being good stewards of our time, talents, and treasures, then it is in fact theft! But it is not stealing from "The World" but rather it is theft from God, because He is the rightful owner.
{I do TRY to be a good steward, but I am sure glad He is very patient that I "borrow" from Him a lot longer than I should most times}