The responsorial psalm reminds us that we have been chosen by the Lord to be his own.
Being chosen means we have been given responsibility. When a person is chosen captain of their team or made first chair of their instrument section, it means that he or she is called to be a leader. That person exercises leadership not in an overlord kind of way, but as first among equals. The captain of the team is just as important as the third string player. The first chair instrumentalist is just as vital to the section as the last chair player. Each needs to step up and give it their best.
So too, our calling as Christians: we have been chosen by the Lord and much is expected of us. Each of us must be prepared to not only stand up for our beliefs, but in some cases, actively promote them. A case in point: there is a lot of anti-Catholicism running rampant in today’s society. It’s subtle and sometimes passes by unnoticed. But it is there. Do we stand by idle when someone makes a snide remark about the Pope or World Youth Day? Do we laugh along with the others when an anti-Catholic joke is made? Do we even spread anti-Catholic propaganda in an effort to get along with others?
The largest denomination in the United States is Catholicism. The second largest is “former Catholics.” Some of these people will say, “I was a Catholic until I saw the light” or “I used to be Catholic, but then I found Jesus.” They then proceed to disparage Catholicism even though they completed a Catholic School education, received the sacraments, and lived in a Catholic neighborhood. Unfortunately, for whatever reason (and most of them are lame at best), they became disillusioned with the Church and left.
When we encounter such people who are vehemently anti-Catholic, what do we do? Do we stand up for our faith? Do we talk about all that the Church has done over 2000 years? Do we remind them that the Church traces its founding to Jesus himself which is attested to in Scripture? Do we highlight all that the Church has done and continues to do in the area of social justice and ministry to the poor and sick?
The scriptures tell us to be prepared and vigilant for the Lord’s arrival. A major part of that vigilance is promoting the presence of the Lord here and now. “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
