January 15th - Reflection

Reading
1 Corinthians 7:1-7 (NRSV)
Guidance for the married

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is well for a man not to touch a woman." But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another except perhaps by agreement for a set time, to devote yourselves to prayer, and then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. This I say by way of concession, not of command.

I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has a particular gift from God, one having one kind and another a different kind.

Reflection
We give ourselves to each other. We have the compassion and love of Christ in ourselves that now we give ourselves to one another. No longer do my selfish needs come first, but the needs of another come first. In marriage, it is the needs of my wife. At work, it is the needs of the ones I work with. I need to have the love and compassion for those I work with to be there for them and serve them with compassion and love. I need to let Christ shine through me, even in the work place and especially when I go home to my wife and family.

Sure, there will be failures. But that's why each day I come back. Come back at the beginning of the day, the middle of the day and all day long. Come back and hold conversation with God. Talk about my failures. Talk about my successes. Talk about my life and listen to His Fatherly advice. For in His advice about my success and failure we come to understand and love one another and love and compassion develops naturally between myself and God and myself and others. Thanks be to God for being my Father who loves me and cares for me enough to be easy to come to and talk to.

Prayer
Lord, I slip and fall into talking about someone. That's not love and compassion. Forgive me. Point me in the right direction. Teach me the right words to say and let me try it all over again. I thank You for working with me, day after day. ---Amen