O.A. Revisited

A while ago I posted about the concept of "Ordo Amoris", which St. Augustine defined as "the ordinate condition of the affections in which every object is accorded that kind and degree of love which is appropriate to it." I've been wrestling with the concept for quite sometime now and seem to have had an epiphany while sitting in my chair this afternoon doing some studying.

The question is what "kind and degree of love" is appropriate for us to offer to God? I think Paul sums it up quite well in Romans 12, verse 1...

I therefore urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God, for this is the reasonable way for you to worship.

That's it. Nothing less, nothing more. I think the problem most of us have with this idea of "living sacrifice" is that we think it's the end of our lives. It isn't at all. It's actually just the beginning. The obvious place to go with this line of thought is to reference how Jesus came into His kingdom by the resurrection, after the cross...which was His ultimate sacrifice. But I want you to think of it another way. Think of someone you respect, they can be someone you know personally or just someone you know of. They can be alive or have been dead for hundreds of years...just put this person in your mind.

Now, why do you respect them?

Is it because of all the cool stuff they own(ed) in life? How about because of how well educated they were or the home they live in? If it's someone that is alive today do you respect them because of the car they drive?

I would venture to guess that your respect for said person is not based off what they have or have accomplished for themselves in their life. You probably respect them because of what they have given or accomplished for others.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Mother Theresa

The whole crew of "Extreme Home Makeover"

"insert your hero here"

These people and the people you are thinking of are remembered because of the sacrifice they made for others. For the things they accomplished for others...

Not

For

Themselves!

What have you done for someone else lately? What "living sacrifice" (as Paul would say) have you lived out?

Are you living for yourself? If so, you will live a shallow and meaningless life, filled with empty regrets. If you don't believe me just look at human history, it speaks more poignantly than I.

Live for others. It's the only way
to
truly
live
at
all.

peace,
glo