From CMMB: Your Weekly Reflection 9/28/14

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave…” Philippians 2:5-6 September 28, 2014 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time Dear Friend, English: The Last Supper of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia) It is clear that the Ebola epidemic will get worse before it gets better. There are dire predictions about its effects on populations, nations, and the world economy. And yet, as with as with many tragic situations, we see that it also brings out the best in many people. We hear of the doctors and nurses who stay with their threatened and suffering patients—some of whom have sacrificed their own lives, endangering their own lives in their efforts to serve others. Medical researchers dedicate time and effort to finding ways to treat and prevent the virus from spreading. In all of this, we are reminded of the Scripture today, the image of Jesus Christ who emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave. Jesus came not to be served but to serve, to help others. What about us? Surely we can offer prayers for those suffering and those responding to the suffering. Perhaps we can also make some donation or contribution to help one of the many organizations, such as Catholic Relief Services, UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and the Catholic Medical Mission Board, in their response to the Ebola crisis. In this way we imitate the example of Jesus Christ, and give strong witness to our Christian faith. Give us, O God, the power to go on, to carry our share of labor to the end, to live all the years of our lives faithful to the neighbor, not looking back, no cowardice. Give us the power to give ourselves, to break the bread of our lives for others, as You, O Lord, have done in your Son, Christ our Lord. Amen.  Rev. Peter Schineller, S.J., CMMB Board of Directors