Being good people or being God's people?

WORD 2day: Monday, 34th week in Ordinary time

November 25, 2024: Revelation 14:1-5; Luke 21: 1-4

Are we called to be good people? Yes, but not just that. The Word today challenges us: it is not enough to be good people, but we are called to be God's people. 

Being good seems a bit of a relative opinion these days. We are good to some, and not so to some others! According to some, I am good and for some others, I am not good. I am good at times when I see an advantage in being so, but when it is not going to favour me in anyway, I give up on that guard. Being good seems so relative.

Enough to have a look at the posters with politicians doling out their "generous" gifts to the unfortunate lot, the numerous NGOs scripting out projects for the eradication of social evils for decades and decades together, the so-called social activists voicing the woes of the downtrodden... everything seems a show! People who do good and who claim to do good, do it with various intentions and it is that which makes all the difference.

It is something to be known as people who do good and it is entire a different thing to be true people of God. Doing good has no end to it and is evaluated in its quantity: in the volume of the good that we do. Being God's people is in one way simpler, and in another way, a lot more demanding.

It is simpler because what matters is not so much what you do and how much you do, as with how much of love you do whatever you do! You need not be giving away tonnes of things to others in charity or announcing everyday one scheme, which means nothing to none. What matters is you have true compassion for the other, in the depth of your heart - even if you would have nothing material to give!

It is more demanding because even a slight intention of selfishness or vain glory can negate the true effect of the good that is done. It is what is in your heart that makes your gift valid or not, in the sight of the Lord - whether it be sacks of gold or a mere two pennies! You can hide what you have in your heart to everyone, but to God?

To be marked as people of God is to belong to God and to put our whole self and all we have at the disposal of the One who gave it all to us. It is important to be people who do good, but it is more important to be people of God.