Everyone wants to work for a company that has a great culture. Everyone wants to live in a world where peace and love are the norm. But realizing these desires takes work, and it is up to us. In this episode of By Your Life, we ask, “If not me, then who? If not now, then when? If not the truth of the Gospel, then what?”
Mass Readings Audio
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/2020/20_02_09.mp3
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time – February 9, 2020
Welcome to the ninety-eighth episode of By Your Life. I’m Lisa Huetteman and I know that you have a hundred different things you could be doing right now, so I thank you for choosing By Your Life.
My goal is to inspire, empower, support, challenge, and encourage you to connect Sunday, with Monday-Friday, in a secular, business world. It’s my desire to help you live our Catholic faith in the marketplace. I hope to offer you practical ways to go forth and glorify the Lord by your life.
In this edition, we’ll reflect on the readings for the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A). This week’s Gospel should frighten us. Jesus said, “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Mt 5:16) Jesus is telling us that by our deeds we are to influence the world for good. We should not escape notice any more than a city set on a mountain. If we fail in good works, we are as useless as flavorless salt or as a lamp whose light is concealed.
So, why should this frighten us? We live in a dark world that loves to attack anything that sheds light. I remember reading comments on social media at the time of the canonization of Mother Teresa. Some people were incredibly hateful. I couldn’t believe it. How could anyone say anything bad about Mother Teresa? But people did. Unfortunately, she experienced hateful speech directed toward her in her lifetime which is probably why St. Mother Teresa herself said, “If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway.”
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway. ~ St. Mother TeresaSomehow, Mother Teresa was able to keep on being kind. She didn’t let it get to her. I’m not that strong. I was the recipient of hateful words a few years ago. I attended a session of pro-life Republicans when the 2012 Convention was held in Tampa. A reporter from a national magazine asked me why I was there, and I chatted with him about the value of all human life—mother and child. When the article came out, the reporter was fairly respectful, but his online audience was awful. One of the kindest suggestions of what should happen to me was that I be given a one-way ticket to Russia. It is pretty funny now that several years have passed, but at the time, I wanted to crawl under my kitchen table and never come out. I wanted to hide my light.
But for me, fear of being attacked is only part of the problem. The bigger issue is fear of the darkness within. How can I be a light to the world when I’m so unworthy? Maybe when I get my act together, I can be a witness. Until then, I’m just a hypocrite.
I remember standing in the checkout line at Walmart many years ago. Even though I probably shop at Walmart 2-3 times a week, this time stands out because I was waiting to checkout behind a woman who was paying with a dozen $5- and $10-dollar gift cards, the cashier was slow, and it was taking FOREVER! Evidently, the person was a teacher who had received the cards as Christmas gifts from her students. But, I was in a hurry and I was irritated by how long it was taking. This isn’t why I remember this particular time in the checkout line. What was memorable was that I was wearing a logo shirt from my daughters’ Catholic school and I suddenly realized that how I was expressing my irritation wasn’t exactly a good reflection of the brand.
Living the Christian brand is so hard to do, day in and day out. So, we don’t want to call attention to ourselves and be a light when we know that we can behave badly at times. We don’t want to be in the light when our deeds are not exactly bringing glory to our Heavenly Father.
For a company, living the brand means honoring the company’s core values. When I’m working with organizations on creating a values-centered culture, what typically happens is the executive team wants to wait to get their own house in order before they tell anyone else in the company about committing to living the company’s core values. This is because core values are always aspirational to some degree. Once the core values are defined, there is an expectation that everyone lines up behind them, especially the company’s leadership. When the executive team knows they are not fully walking the talk, they want to take time to make personal changes necessary to become a good example for their employees to follow.
And they should be a good example. The problem is they will never be perfect examples. St. Padre Pio is reported to have said, “Saints are not the less defective, but the more courageous. Sanctity doesn’t consist in not having defects, but in fighting them patiently and constantly.” Sometimes the more courageous thing we must do is admit that we failed and take responsibility for making it right. Doing so is setting a good example.
And this is key to creating a values-centered culture. Instead of being afraid of being criticized, every person in the company must be willing to stand up, raise their hand and pledge that they want to be held accountable to living the values. The goal is for every person to say, “I am committed to honoring these values with my behavior and I want to be held accountable. When I fail, I not only give you permission to tell me, I want you to tell me so that I can make it right.” And each person commits to doing that…to hold others accountable, regardless of their position. This is very difficult to achieve in an organization, but when you do, you’ve created a values-centered culture. And, as Matthew Kelly, author of The Culture Solution wrote, “Everybody wants to work for an organization that has a great culture. If somebody doesn’t want that, you don’t want that person working for you.”
Everybody wants to work for an organization that has a great culture. If somebody doesn’t want that, you don’t want that person working for you. ~ Matthew Kelly @matthewfkelly #culturechangeSo, if a great culture is something everyone wants, then why are people hesitant to get on board? Why is it so difficult to achieve? The answer is the same as the reason people don’t want to be the salt of the earth, a light on a lampstand, or a city on a hill. You and I both know that we are not perfect. You and I know that we will fail at honoring our core values at work and the Gospel in our lives. You and I know that we will be attacked when we are successful and attacked when we fail, so we’d prefer to live under the radar and not be noticed and therefore avoid being attacked, whether justified or not. But, that’s not what Jesus is asking of us in this week’s Gospel, and that’s not what we are called to do each week when we are sent forth from Mass with the instruction to “Go in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life.”
So, what do we do? How do we conquer the fear that is keeping us from being salt and light? The answer is found in our first and second readings. In the first reading from the Prophet Isaiah, we’re encouraged to just do it. “Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; clothe the naked when you see them, and do not turn your back on your own.” (Is 58:7) Just do good deeds in love.
In the second reading from the first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that it isn’t about us. He wrote, “I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Cor 2:1-2) Just speak the truth. Just do it and expect that there will be those who criticize you. Just do it and expect that you will not always get it right. Just do it because you’d rather live in a world where there are people who do good deeds and speak the truth with love. Be that person. But first, pray to the source of all love. For without love, you’ll likely be the “resounding gong or a clashing cymbal” (1 Cor 13:1) that St. Paul writes about.
The dark world needs more love. In a homily for this Sunday’s readings, Bishop Barron said, “Without vibrant Christians, the world is a much worse place. We don’t see what is good. The ugly and sinful aren’t undermined and people lose their way.” Speaking of Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, and the loss of life in the wake of Roe v. Wade, he went on to say that the weakness of Christian witness allowed some of the worst of society to flourish while the vast majority of Christians acquiesced or didn’t care.
Edmund Burke, the 18th century, Anglo-Irish statesman and philosopher said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” This is true today in our society where people are fleeing war and violence across the world. Closer to home, truly awful gun violence exists in our cities. A weak Christianity is a disaster for the world. Not just for Christians.
The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. ~ Edmund BurkeFor Christianity and society to flourish, Jesus tells us, “YOU are the salt of the earth.” (Mt 5:13) YOU are the light of the world.” (Mt 5:14) YOU are the city on the hill. This is not about making converts but illuminating and enhancing the mission Jesus gave us. “Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.” (Mt 5:16)
Yes, you will be criticized, you may even be hated for it, but so was Christ. That was what I had to remember that day, years ago when I wanted to crawl under my kitchen table and hide from the hateful words written about me. I united myself with Christ, knowing nothing thrown at me can compare to what he endured. Nothing.
So, as St. Mother Teresa said, “Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough: Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered: Forgive them anyway.”
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway. ~ St. Mother TeresaIt is a dark world out there that desperately needs the Light of Christ. We have been commissioned by our Baptism and Confirmation to be that light. This is exactly what we are appointed to do each Sunday when the priest or deacon sends us forth after Mass saying, “Go forth, glorifying the Lord by your life.” And each week, we have a choice to make. Are we going to glorify the Lord by our good deeds? Or, are we going to be useless, flavorless, and concealed?
What must a Christian do in order for the salt not to run out, so that the oil to light the lamp does not come to an end? Pope Francis said, “Prayer is what lights up Christian life.” So, let’s pray and ask for help.
God, our Father, we pray that through the Holy Spirit we might deepen our faith and grow in confidence to proclaim the Gospel and boldly witness to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus Christ. Pour out your Spirit, so that we might be strengthened to go forth and be a witness to the Gospel in our everyday lives through our words and actions. In moments of hesitation, remind us: If not me, then who? If not now, then when? If not the truth of the Gospel, then what shall I proclaim? We ask these things through your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
May God bless you abundantly this week and as you glorify the Lord by your life.
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