WORD 2day: Friday, 26th week in Ordinary time
Everyone has always, the choice to make between Integrity and Shame. There is a tendency among people to believe that is more important to be careful, than to be right. That is a dangerous tendency.
People choose to be right not because they are convinced of being right but because they do not want to get into trouble. Be it obeying traffic rules, or paying tax returns, or keeping to the social agreements or carrying out one's assigned duties - in everything of this sort, people choose to do things in order to avoid consequences than to be true to their selves and to their calling.
Can we follow the same logic with the Lord who knows even our innermost thoughts, our unsaid words and our hidden motives? Here arises the whole concept of integrity: being right for the sake of being right, doing something because it is right than because it is acceptable, living out of conviction than in view of convenience.
Obeying God has to come out of conviction, that is integrity. If I make use of the name of God and the practices pertaining to God for social acceptability or for my hidden agenda, I am far from integrity and the ultimate consequence will be shame. I live either in constant pressure of pleasing others or in constant fear of shame.
The Word counsels us today: Integrity frees me of this because truth will set you free! Look up to the Lord and you will never be put to shame!