Christ-Focus in Scripture
What a Waste!
Photo By: Flickr/Paul Swansen
On the average, one out of every 466 photos taken by National Geographic photographers ends up in print. The overwhelming odds are that even potentially prize-winning photos will be file-buried. What a waste of talent, time, effort, and money!
Our western society is disgraced by its disregard of simple thrift. Consider the cavalier waste of food in restaurants and cruise ships in light of the fact that over forty thousand people die of starvation worldwide every day! Not to mention other kinds of widespread waste of talent, skills, time, effort, and money.
But far more tragic than all these forms of waste is the incalculable waste of suffering. How is suffering wasted? In numerous ways: by resentment against God for sending or permitting it; by not undergoing it with holy abandonment to God's will; by self-pity; by complaining petulantly; by not offering it as a sacrifice to the glory of God; by not using it as an occasion of developing patience, fortitude, character, and even hope (see Romans 5:3-4), and above all, by not rejoicing "that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (1 Pt 4:13). Every pain or tribulation is a "coupon" redeemable for a heavenly fortune. Don't waste it!
This excerpt is from the book One-Minute Meditations for Busy People, by John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and audio/video recordings can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408 or www.Catholicbooks.net
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About the Author
The Rev. John H. Hampsch, C.M.F., ordained as a Catholic priest in 1952, is a member of the Claretian Missionaries, and is founder and director of the Claretian Teaching Ministry. Listed in Who’s Who in Religion in America, he has served as parish priest, seminary professor and rector, college professor, lecturer, magazine writer, newspaper columnist, editor, retreat master, hospital chaplain, prison chaplain, campus chaplain, Cursillo director and director of suicide prevention programs in Texas and California.
He earned degrees in philosophy from Loyola-Marymount University in Los Angeles and from Notre Dame University, with postgraduate work at the University of Southern California and the Dominican House of Studies in River Forest, Illinois, in ascetical and mystical theology.
Find his many books and audio/visual recordings at www.Catholicbooks.net
