Reading 1
Prv 3:27-34
Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim
when it is in your power to do it for him.
Say not to your neighbor, "Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give," when you can give at once.
Plot no evil against your neighbor,
against one who lives at peace with you.
Quarrel not with a man without cause,
with one who has done you no harm.
Envy not the lawless man
and choose none of his ways:
To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination,
but with the upright is his friendship.
The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
but the dwelling of the just he blesses;
When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,
but to the humble he shows kindness.
Gospel
Lk 8:16-18
Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."
Meditation: Luke 8:16-18
“Take care, then, how you hear.” (Luke 8:18)
The words of Scripture are like seeds. Given the right environment, they can grow and bear fruit far beyond expectations. Putting this together with Jesus’ promise that God will multiply what he has given (Luke 8:18), we glimpse what can happen if we take in even a little bit of Scripture: As we nourish it and act on it, it will grow and grow.
One Sunday at Mass, a wealthy twenty-year-old was struck by one verse from Matthew’s Gospel: “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). Moved to take this command literally, the young man promptly gave his property and money to the local people and the poor, retaining only a little to support himself and his sister.
The next time he went to church, another verse spoke to him: “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). With that, he took a leap of faith. After making provision for his sister, he gave everything left to the poor, moved into an isolated hut where he could devote himself to prayer, and supported himself by making simple household items.
For many years, the man lived alone and in poverty. Yet he continued to receive more and more of God’s life. In time, his reputation attracted others, and they joined him in his way of life. By the time he died, eighty-five years after acting on that first life-changing word of Scripture, his work had renewed the entire church. In fact, his impact on the church continues to be immeasurable. Today we honor this man as St. Anthony of the Desert (a.d. 251-356), the father of monasticism, one of Christianity’s most effective guides to the prayer life and probably our greatest example of humble love for Jesus.
St. Anthony took just a little of the Scriptures to heart, and more was given to him. With childlike faith and simple trust, he gave the Lord an ounce of his heart, and God gave him tons of his heart in return. Let even a little of the Scriptures take root in you, and more will be given to you as well.
“Holy Spirit, thank you for speaking to me through Scripture. May you bring your word to life in more and more people.”
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