The Battle Within
Tuesday, 7th week in Ordinary Time
Jam 4: 1-10; Mk 9: 30-37
The discussion continues on yesterday's theme: the battle within. Both James and Jesus through the Word today, speak to us of the important battle that is waging within us, which determines much of the battles around us. The self seeking, self centered and self focused egoism, twists and twirls all our priorities and thus wrongly motivates our choices.
The worst of the conditions that we find today is the way the society prioritises. What is wrong if one thinks of one's own self fulfillment? The justification in terms of god-given capabilities and bringing them to their perfection is another rationalisation of this ego feeding. The Self or the Ego is being enshrined at the centre of human life as the most sacred thing that has to be preserved, promoted and pleased! Is this not idolatry? Some are so worried about use of images and icons as being idolatrous, while they make of themselves saviours, mouth pieces of God, indispensable dispensers of the god-element, the doorways to god and so on...
The question is clear today: have you compromised on the place given to God in your life? Is God the first priority in your life? Is God, God's plan and God's will the most important criterion in all the choices you make? If it is so, then you are on a winning streak in the battle within... Kudos! March on!