OK then. So today at the office, one of my colleagues had a birthday, see? So I didn't go to Mass like I usually would. The office gathered around to be thankful to God for bringing us the gift of this person, and so it was right and fitting to celebrate the occasion. Agreed? I'll get back to my routine tomorrow.
But since I wasn't able to participate in the heaven meets earth event that I have come to look forward to daily, I did the next best thing. I headed over to the USCCB website to catch up on the daily readings. And would you believe that every single one of them screamed that Ayn Rand is not the way?
Here, take a look for yourself. First up? St. Paul,
June 14, 2011
Tuesday of the Eleventh Week
in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
2 Cor 8:1-9
We want you to know, brothers and sisters, of the grace of God
that has been given to the churches of Macedonia,
for in a severe test of affliction,
the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty
overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.
Whoa...generosity? And poverty? Yuk!
For according to their means, I can testify,
and beyond their means, spontaneously,
they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part
in the service to the holy ones,
and this, not as we expected,
but they gave themselves first to the Lord
and to us through the will of God,
so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun,
he should also complete for you this gracious act also.
Beyond their means? They'll go bankrupt! And they begged for the favor of serving others? No way!
Now as you excel in every respect,
in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness,
and in the love we have for you,
may you excel in this gracious act also.
Gracious acts? Do tell! What's next...concern for others?
I say this not by way of command,
but to test the genuineness of your love
by your concern for others.
For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that for your sake he became poor although he was rich,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Sheesh! OK, surely the Psalms will give me a break. Let's see what's on King David's mind today.
146:2, 5-6ab, 6c- 7, 8-9a Responsorial Psalm
R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, my soul!
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hmmm, not looking very promising.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Oh, not that ridiculous idea again.
Who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
There he goes, telling us to help the hungry and the oppressed and the weak. Sigh. These guys never learn.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Praise the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Those who are bowed down should stay down. And what is justice? Looks like I'm 0 for 2 so far. Maybe the Gospel with give me something to work with. Oops, looks like no. Would you believe fate would send me something from the Sermon on the Mount? OMG!
Mt 5:38-42 Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You have heard that it was said,
You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.
But I say to you, love your enemies
and pray for those who persecute you,
that you may be children of your heavenly Father,
for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good,
and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.
For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?
Do not the tax collectors do the same?
And if you greet your brothers only,
what is unusual about that?
Do not the pagans do the same?
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
The Gospel of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
See? You cannot follow Ayn Rand's "virtue of selfishness" and pretend you are a disciple of the King. My Christian brethren (who attempt such nonsense), your position is, in a word, untenable. Your lack of understanding of this is unfathomable. "Be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect." You cannot do that without striving to live by the Two Greatest Commandments.
None of us can.
Update: New members of the Rand Busters™ Lisa Graas and Stacy Trasancos. Go read Lisa's post!
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