The WORD in other words (2006) by a Pink Sister – Sister Servant of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration – SSpS
Tuesday 6th Week in Ordinary Time
“Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees…” Guard against bad example. It can corrupt. And be keen in observing good example. It can change your life.
When I was a young college student, I often attended morning Mass before going to class at St. Louis University in Baguio. During communion, as I waited for my turn, a young student stood beside me. When the priest approached him and said, “The Body of Christ,” the young man responded simply, “Amen.” Nothing unusual there. But what he said next forever changed my attitude toward receiving a gift — especially the Eucharist.
As soon as the Sacred Host was placed on his palm, he whispered, almost unconsciously: “Thank you, Jesus.” My heart swelled at hearing such a tender expression of gratitude. When my turn came to receive the Lord, I too said, “Thank you, Jesus,” though silently in my mind. His example became like yeast within me, quietly transforming the way I approach the Eucharist and deepening my sense of thanksgiving.
We are all called to be bearers of goodness, whether the path we walk today is marked by suffering or by consolation. While it is still “today,” God expects us to do good for the sake of all. Many lament that they should have lived better, and their lives now seem filled with “would‑have‑beens.”
Yet whether you have celebrated four years or seventy, instead of dwelling on wasted opportunities, why not gain momentum and resolve to make the most of the years that still remain? Such determination propels life forward — as though pressing the “fast‑forward” button — allowing us to embrace each moment with renewed purpose and joy.
True, we all need boundaries when striving to give good examples. We need privacy and a sacred space consecrated to God. And if we must build walls for its defense, let them be walls formed of friendly barriers — flowering plants around them, a gracious smile, a tender “thank you,” a helping hand. In this way, our walls become symbols of unity without anyone encroaching upon our inner sanctuary. For it is from that sanctuary that we learn the virtues God wants us to pass on, virtues that grow like yeast and transform the whole dough.
A good example, like someone passing through an open door, cannot cross the threshold on horseback. He must dismount and walk humbly on foot. In other words, you cannot hope to change another by good example alone; humility is required. And without courage — the other pillar — good example is like a bird trying to fly with only one wing.
So perhaps next time, instead of saying “Thank you, Jesus” only in your mind, whisper it courageously, loud enough for your neighbor to hear: “Thank you, Jesus.” And when you finish reading this, don’t stop there. Pass the message along — and watch the dough rise.
