We often talk about what to "give up" for lent. My good friend Barbara Bass told me about Pope Francis' request that we fast- not just chocolate or booze or carbs, but that we give up our indifference toward others.
We live in a society that has grown increasingly self-consumed. The Kingdom of God teaches us the opposite.
John Chrysostom was the Bishop of Constantinople in the 350's, a true saint of the early church. One of his most famous quotes is this:
“No act of virtue can be great if it is not followed by advantage for others. So, no matter how much time you spend fasting, no matter how much you sleep on a hard floor and eat ashes and sigh continually, if you do no good to others, you do nothing great.”
The kingdom always points us out. The mission is always out there. And when we remember that, it becomes a beautiful day in God's world. Be sure to see the good.
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