Ambassadors for Christ

“Brothers and sisters: we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.”  (2 Corinthians 5:20)

As I was meditating on today’s readings, God reminded me that I am a vessel that he is using to bring others to Christ. I am his ambassador and my actions will either draw others to Christ or turn them away. If I claim to be a Christian yet others hear me gossiping, being short with others, or demanding things are done my way, then I am showing Christ in a negative light. Going to daily Mass and spending time in prayer is in vain if the minute I walk out the door of the chapel I step back into my selfish little world, judging others. At times I don’t even wait until I am out the door. The other day I was being judgmental in my thoughts because the deacon mispronounced the names in the Old Testament reading. I was having sinful thoughts during Mass!

As Lent begins today, the gospel reminds us to, “take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father.”  (Matthew 6:1) We are not to fast, pray or give alms in a way that others will see in hope of receiving their praise or recognition.  We are to do all these things in secret. The Lord knows what is in our hearts. He is aware of our vanity and selfishness; the very things that we are trying to free ourselves of especially during this Lenten season. In order to be ambassadors for Christ we need to completely conquer self-love which involves a constant struggle against self. The asceticism of Lent is to learn self-mastery of those things that bind us. Not suffering for the sake of suffering but in order to have mastery over those things so we can offer our self to God.  ~ Fr. Stephen Sanchez, O.C.D.