"Behold now is the day of salvation."
For believers every day is this "today" of God. Since the resurrection, ascension and descent of the Holy Spirit, time in which we live has been made anew. Time no longer just flows toward death but is filled with Christ's promise, "I am with you always."
Thus, each day is the "today" of salvation.
St. Therese of Lisieux put it this way:
"my life is but a moment, an hour that passes by/ my life is just a day that flees and flies away/ you know this well, O my God! To love you on earth/ I have nothing but today!"
In the Gospel Jesus speaks of a radical way of living that day he has given:
"I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. If anyone wants to go to law over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.'
Wow!
Jesus invites us to embrace true poverty of spirit. As St. Francis would often speak of, the beauty of "Lady Poverty" awaits us all. Poverty of Spirit mulches our hubris and creates the right soil by which true charity can blossom.
Poverty, chastity, obedience are the three evangelical councils by which we conform ourselves to Christ most perfectly.
Jesus doesn't ask us to live a manner no different than the manner of life He lived himself.
It is the poverty of each day that we embrace the day of salvation and thus find perfect joy.
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