I have always said that our faith, our religion, our belief in God is in some way a selfish one. Maybe you can wonder why, if Jesus talks about to love, share, and help one another. Well, one of the arguments that I can use in order to explain how our faith and religion is selfish, is explained in Mt 7:21-29. My faith is selfish because I need to think first of myself, in my relationship with God, and in my connection with Him before I can start to help others to help increase their faith, relationship, and love for God. Jesus said in Mt. 7:21-29, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” What is the will of God in heaven? It is to believe in Jesus, to follow Jesus, and to listen to Jesus. If we do not do so, we will be in trouble. How is it possible we are all Catholic Christians, if we do not follow the Lord and do not do the Father’s will? It is contradictory. So, I need to think first about my relationship with God. We cannot say to the Lord, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?” (Mt. 7:22) because there is no relationship with Jesus. Hence, how is my relationship with Jesus? This is one of the things that you and I need to wonder.
It does not matter if we come to Mass every day, if we participate in all the parish activities, if we contribute to the CMA or make donations to the church or if we help people, if my relationship with God is death. How often do I go to the sacrament of Reconciliation? How often do I pray? How often do I say to Jesus, “Lord, thank you for this wonderful day?” We need to increase our relationship of Love. In another Gospel Jesus says, “Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye?” (Mt. 7:3). I need to think first of myself and my relationship with God. Jesus says, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment”. The second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt. 22:37-39). Pay attention, “As yourself.” We need to love ourselves first. If I love myself, I want to increase this wonderful relationship with the Lord. In that way, I am in a selfish faith. If I can have a great relationship with Jesus, I can help the others. It is only through my relationship with Jesus that everything I do makes sense, e.g. help people, love others, feed the hungry, come to the church, celebrate the sacraments, celebrate the different activities of the parish, and so on. How is my relationship with Jesus? How can I increase my faith? I need to realize that if I want to enter into God’s Kingdom, I need to have a wonderful relationship with God.
God bless you, and may the Blessed Virgin Mary be with you always!
Fr. Jorge Ramirez
