Reflection
There is incongruity between living by the letter of the law and by the spirit of it. We can lead a life in which all of our actions are aboveboard, but those same actions may still be morally suspect. As Christian adults we try to live in a way that is more than merely lawful. It is not sufficient to simply avoid wrong; to make our contribution to society, we must focus on living what is right. Even if a wrong action is socially required, legally accepted, or popular, we are called to live by a different standard. It is the contribution we can make toward positive change.
Prayer
Give us, Lord, the courage and insight to live with love and justice.
Action
I will examine my life and critique the standards of our society. Do I obey the standards of “God rather than men”?
Suggested Reading
When the court officers had brought the Apostles in
and made them stand before the Sanhedrin,
the high priest questioned them,
“We gave you strict orders did we not,
to stop teaching in that name.
Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching
and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
But Peter and the Apostles said in reply,
“We must obey God rather than men.
Acts 5:27-33
Let us not be satisfied with a mediocre life.
Pope Francis
The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.
Albert Einstein
The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.
Abraham Lincoln
To believe in something, and not to live it is dishonest.
Mahatma Gandhi