Reading 1
Jer 26:1-9
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this message came from the LORD:
Thus says the LORD:
Stand in the court of the house of the LORD
and speak to the people of all the cities of Judah
who come to worship in the house of the LORD;
whatever I command you, tell them, and omit nothing.
Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
each from his evil way,
so that I may repent of the evil I have planned to inflict upon them
for their evil deeds.
Say to them: Thus says the LORD:
If you disobey me,
not living according to the law I placed before you
and not listening to the words of my servants the prophets,
whom I send you constantly though you do not obey them,
I will treat this house like Shiloh,
and make this the city to which all the nations of the earth
shall refer when cursing another.
Now the priests, the prophets, and all the people
heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.
When Jeremiah finished speaking
all that the LORD bade him speak to all the people,
the priests and prophets laid hold of him, crying,
"You must be put to death!
Why do you prophesy in the name of the LORD:
'This house shall be like Shiloh,' and
'This city shall be desolate and deserted'?"
And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
Gospel
Mt 13:54-58
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?"
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house."
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
Meditation: Matthew 13:54-58
“Where did this man get all this?” (Matthew 13:56)
How could Jesus’ townsfolk not see who he really was? He had already performed so many miracles and spoken so insightfully about the Law of Moses. But to them he was still the carpenter’s son from down the street. So because they came to him with such low expectations, they had a hard time experiencing the healings, deliverances, and other works of wonder that so many others received. Because of their lack of faith, they placed limits on what they would allow God to do for them.
Do you limit Jesus? Has he become your Savior only on Sundays or in times of crisis and difficulty? Of course he wants to touch you during Mass. And yes, he loves to be with you in the hard times. But he wants to be so much more as well. He wants to talk with us and walk with us as he did with Adam and Eve in the garden. He wants to give us counsel in our decisions, cheer us on in our successes, and teach us from our mistakes. He wants to give us good gifts and teach us how to serve our loved ones more humbly. Jesus wants to be our constant companion!
It can be hard to believe, but God really does delight in revealing himself to us in the everyday events of our lives. What’s more, he actually enjoys being with us, even when we’re sitting through a meeting at work, watching television at home, or doing the laundry. And the more we learn how to sense his presence, the more we will receive his blessings, his revelations, and his love.
Brothers and sisters, Jesus is completely committed to you! Even when your mind is taken up with the demands of the day, he is still close to you. You may not be able to feel his presence all the time, but he is there, speaking words of love, shielding you from the devil, and forming you in hidden, unseen ways. In the face of such love, how can we do anything but place our faith and trust in him?
“Jesus, in so many ways you remain a mystery to me. I don’t always feel you but I know you are with me. Thank you, Lord, for your unending love!”
No comments:
Post a Comment