Reading 1
Hg 2:1-9
In the second year of King Darius,
on the twenty-first day of the seventh month,
the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai:
Tell this to the governor of Judah,
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak,
and to the remnant of the people:
Who is left among you
that saw this house in its former glory?
And how do you see it now?
Does it not seem like nothing in your eyes?
But now take courage, Zerubbabel, says the LORD,
and take courage, Joshua, high priest, son of Jehozadak,
And take courage, all you people of the land,
says the LORD, and work!
For I am with you, says the LORD of hosts.
This is the pact that I made with you
when you came out of Egypt,
And my spirit continues in your midst;
do not fear!
For thus says the LORD of hosts:
One moment yet, a little while,
and I will shake the heavens and the earth,
the sea and the dry land.
I will shake all the nations,
and the treasures of all the nations will come in,
And I will fill this house with glory,
says the LORD of hosts.
Mine is the silver and mine the gold,
says the LORD of hosts.
Greater will be the future glory of this house
than the former, says the LORD of hosts;
And in this place I will give you peace,
says the LORD of hosts!
Gospel
Lk 9:18-22
Once when Jesus was praying in solitude,
and the disciples were with him,
he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They said in reply, “John the Baptist; others, Elijah;
still others, ‘One of the ancient prophets has arisen.’”
Then he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter said in reply, “The Christ of God.”
He rebuked them and directed them not to tell this to anyone.
He said, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed and on the third day be raised.”
Meditation: Haggai 2:1-9
A little while, and I will shake the heavens and the earth. (Haggai 2:6)
As you read Haggai’s prophecy, think about what it means to be patient. The people of Israel were devastated. Although they had returned from exile, they were still ruled by a foreign king, and their Temple was in ruins. Yet Haggai told them to have courage and get to work! He assured them that God was still with them. His plans for them were just beginning. He would restore their Temple, and they would finally know peace. They just had to wait a “little while.”
And how did the people respond to these words? Certainly not by waiting idly! “They came and set to work on the house of the Lord of hosts, their God” (Haggai 1:14). God had given them the grace to persevere, and they acted on it. They finished rebuilding the Temple in only three years. And they kept pursuing God, even as they suffered further persecutions under the Greeks and Romans. Even when their Temple was desecrated and their people martyred, they still kept their faith.
As Christians, we know something about patience too. We are waiting for Jesus’ return in glory. But there is another way to think about it: Jesus is waiting for us! He has won eternal life for us. He has poured his Holy Spirit on us. He has endowed us with gifts and talents that we can use to build his kingdom. As a farmer is anxious about growing his crops, Jesus is anxious to see us grow in holiness.
As you go through your day, you may not see God’s vision for your future. You may not care much for the present, either. But his plan for you certainly includes aspects of what you are doing right now—and he wants you to be excited about it! You may be working and caring for your family. You may be a student carrying a heavy course load. Whatever you’re doing, think of it as your mission field. It’s a golden opportunity to demonstrate God’s love in action. If you do it for his glory, waiting patiently for the fruit, you won’t be disappointed!
“Lord, give me your joy in everything I do today. Thank you for the challenges I face, as well as the blessings I receive. No matter what comes, may my heart remain focused on you!”
Psalm 43:1-4; Luke 9:18-22
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