new math
"Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" —John 6:5
When we first give our lives to Jesus and become Christians, we welcome many additions into our lives. We have new people, gifts, and ministries. To make room for these new additions, we must subtract our sinful habits and worldly preoccupations.
If we let the Spirit do this adding and subtracting, we're ready to graduate into the more advanced math of multiplication and division. Like the little boy with the five loaves and two fish, we empty our pockets of money, possessions, time, and self (Jn 6:9). Jesus takes our drop-in-the-bucket lives and multiplies their power so as to feed the masses starving for life. He does this in the Mass. Ironically, the celebration of "Mass" feeds the "masses" by multiplying our impact on the world. This multiplication through the Mass makes our lives worth living rather than an exercise in futility.
Jesus said that He came for division (Lk 12:51). We break with the world, confront it, and attack the gates of hell which cannot prevail against us (Mt 16:18). "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rm 8:31) The world will not be able to destroy us without fighting God (Acts 5:39). God's division leads to victory.
Prayer: Jesus, this Easter season may I accept the grace to complete my addition and subtraction problems so I can graduate to multiplication and division.
Promise: "Day after day, both in the temple and at home, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news of Jesus the Messiah." —Acts 5:42
Praise: Being divided by her worldly goods, Helen simplified her life and also helped others by her donation to the needy of a much too expensive wardrobe.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Prophetic Lifestyle on audio AV 75-3 or video V-75.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 12, 2004
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