Reading 1
Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.
Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:
By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;
your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.
As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;
you were neither washed with water nor anointed,
nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.
No one looked on you with pity or compassion
to do any of these things for you.
Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,
the day you were born.
Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.
I said to you: Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.
You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;
your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,
but you were still stark naked.
Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.
So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;
I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;
you became mine, says the Lord GOD.
Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,
and anointed you with oil.
I clothed you with an embroidered gown,
put sandals of fine leather on your feet;
I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.
I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms,
a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,
pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.
Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;
your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.
Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.
You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.
You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,
because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,
says the Lord GOD.
But you were captivated by your own beauty,
you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,
and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,
whose own you became.
Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,
and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,
that you may remember and be covered with confusion,
and that you may be utterly silenced for shame
when I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD.
Gospel
Mt 19:3-12
Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,
“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”
He said in reply, “Have you not read that from the beginning
the Creator made them male and female and said,
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?
So they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”
They said to him, “Then why did Moses command
that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”
He said to them, “Because of the hardness of your hearts
Moses allowed you to divorce your wives,
but from the beginning it was not so.
I say to you, whoever divorces his wife
(unless the marriage is unlawful)
and marries another commits adultery.”
His disciples said to him,
“If that is the case of a man with his wife,
it is better not to marry.”
He answered, “Not all can accept this word,
but only those to whom that is granted.
Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;
some, because they were made so by others;
some, because they have renounced marriage
for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.
Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”
Meditation: Ezekiel 16:1-15,60,63
“The word of the Lord came to me…” (Ezekiel 16:1)
What confidence Ezekiel must have had! In chapter after chapter, he introduces his prophecies with this bold statement. But how could Ezekiel be certain that God was really speaking to him? How could he tell it was a true prophecy and not just the result of a fertile imagination? How could he discern between his thoughts and God’s thoughts? In truth, how can any of us know for sure that God is speaking to us?
There is a long answer and a short answer to this question. The long answer is that we may never know for sure what comes from us and what comes from God. Sometimes it is just too hard to tell the difference. But we can always be confident that if the words we are hearing and sharing bring comfort, hope, and the challenge of deeper faith, then God must be behind them somehow. All we need to do is keep pursuing them and know that God’s word is getting out—no matter what its form or shape!
As for the short answer: Practice! It takes time to hear God’s voice. It takes experimenting with the words you think you are receiving in prayer—testing them against the truths of the gospel and the teachings of the church. And it takes courage to step out in faith and share these words with others to see what kind of fruit they bear. Surely Ezekiel did all of that as he tried to make sense of his spiritual experiences!
Whether we feel confident or shaky in our ability to hear God’s voice, it is vital that we slow down and take time to listen in prayer, to ponder Scripture, and to meditate on the church’s teachings. That’s the only way we’ll get to know God’s word and learn the best way to share it with the people in our lives. We should never doubt that God has called us to proclaim his word, whether it be through words spoken, kindnesses offered, or a life lived in humility, faith, and love.
“Lord, open my ears so that I may truly hear you. Help me to be still and listen, so that I can become a bearer of your word to the people you put in my path.”
12 August 2010
12 Aug 2010, Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ez 12:1-12
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house;
they have eyes to see but do not see,
and ears to hear but do not hear,
for they are a rebellious house.
Now, son of man, during the day while they are looking on,
prepare your baggage as though for exile,
and again while they are looking on,
migrate from where you live to another place;
perhaps they will see that they are a rebellious house.
You shall bring out your baggage like an exile in the daytime
while they are looking on;
in the evening, again while they are looking on,
you shall go out like one of those driven into exile;
while they look on, dig a hole in the wall and pass through it;
while they look on, shoulder the burden and set out in the darkness;
cover your face that you may not see the land,
for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.
I did as I was told.
During the day I brought out my baggage
as though it were that of an exile,
and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand
and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness,
shouldering my burden.
Then, in the morning, the word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house,
ask you what you were doing?
Tell them: Thus says the Lord GOD:
This oracle concerns Jerusalem
and the whole house of Israel within it.
I am a sign for you:
as I have done, so shall it be done to them;
as captives they shall go into exile.
The prince who is among them shall shoulder his burden
and set out in darkness,
going through a hole he has dug out in the wall,
and covering his face lest he be seen by anyone.
Gospel
Mt 18:21–19:1
Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed,
and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee
and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.
Meditation: Matthew 18:21–19:1
“So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” (Matthew 18:35)
There is a story about a world-weary elderly man after the time of the French Revolution who was reduced to begging. He wandered from town to town, seeking alms to keep himself alive. Upon entering one small town, he made his way to the church, hoping for a handout. He wasn’t a churchgoing man himself, but he stayed there because of the steady stream of passersby.
One day, after watching the beggar on the church steps, a young priest of the parish approached him. He gave the beggar a cloak and invited him to his own house for a meal. The beggar hesitated, saying he was not a religious man, but the priest insisted. For several days afterward, the priest invited him to find shelter in the rectory. Finally, the beggar agreed and spent many days receiving the care and hospitality of his new friend. Eventually, through this priest’s witness, the man decided to come back to the church.
He tearfully confessed to the priest that he felt alienated from God because of the guilt he felt for betraying the family he had worked for as a young man. His employer had entrusted his wife and children to his care during the Revolution, but the man betrayed them. He handed them over to the authorities, and all but the youngest child were sent to the guillotine.
After telling the priest his story, the man lifted his eyes and saw on the wall a portrait of the very family he had betrayed. He asked where the painting came from, and the young priest, with tears in his eyes, said that this was his family. He was the youngest child. Everyone else had been executed during the Revolution. Uttering the words of absolution, the priest added, “and I forgive you as well. Be at peace.”
We may not have to forgive such a grievous wrong, but we are all called to forgive—especially those closest to us, who often hurt us most deeply. Forgiveness like this opens the gates of heaven and allows God’s grace to be poured out on us and on the person we forgive. So let this story inspire you. And let it move you to be merciful as well!
“Lord, help me to become a channel of your mercy in my home!”
Ez 12:1-12
The word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house;
they have eyes to see but do not see,
and ears to hear but do not hear,
for they are a rebellious house.
Now, son of man, during the day while they are looking on,
prepare your baggage as though for exile,
and again while they are looking on,
migrate from where you live to another place;
perhaps they will see that they are a rebellious house.
You shall bring out your baggage like an exile in the daytime
while they are looking on;
in the evening, again while they are looking on,
you shall go out like one of those driven into exile;
while they look on, dig a hole in the wall and pass through it;
while they look on, shoulder the burden and set out in the darkness;
cover your face that you may not see the land,
for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.
I did as I was told.
During the day I brought out my baggage
as though it were that of an exile,
and at evening I dug a hole through the wall with my hand
and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness,
shouldering my burden.
Then, in the morning, the word of the LORD came to me:
Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house,
ask you what you were doing?
Tell them: Thus says the Lord GOD:
This oracle concerns Jerusalem
and the whole house of Israel within it.
I am a sign for you:
as I have done, so shall it be done to them;
as captives they shall go into exile.
The prince who is among them shall shoulder his burden
and set out in darkness,
going through a hole he has dug out in the wall,
and covering his face lest he be seen by anyone.
Gospel
Mt 18:21–19:1
Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
As many as seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
When he began the accounting,
a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
Since he had no way of paying it back,
his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property,
in payment of the debt.
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
Moved with compassion the master of that servant
let him go and forgave him the loan.
When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants
who owed him a much smaller amount.
He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,
‘Pay back what you owe.’
Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,
‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
But he refused.
Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison
until he paid back the debt.
Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,
they were deeply disturbed,
and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee
and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.
Meditation: Matthew 18:21–19:1
“So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” (Matthew 18:35)
There is a story about a world-weary elderly man after the time of the French Revolution who was reduced to begging. He wandered from town to town, seeking alms to keep himself alive. Upon entering one small town, he made his way to the church, hoping for a handout. He wasn’t a churchgoing man himself, but he stayed there because of the steady stream of passersby.
One day, after watching the beggar on the church steps, a young priest of the parish approached him. He gave the beggar a cloak and invited him to his own house for a meal. The beggar hesitated, saying he was not a religious man, but the priest insisted. For several days afterward, the priest invited him to find shelter in the rectory. Finally, the beggar agreed and spent many days receiving the care and hospitality of his new friend. Eventually, through this priest’s witness, the man decided to come back to the church.
He tearfully confessed to the priest that he felt alienated from God because of the guilt he felt for betraying the family he had worked for as a young man. His employer had entrusted his wife and children to his care during the Revolution, but the man betrayed them. He handed them over to the authorities, and all but the youngest child were sent to the guillotine.
After telling the priest his story, the man lifted his eyes and saw on the wall a portrait of the very family he had betrayed. He asked where the painting came from, and the young priest, with tears in his eyes, said that this was his family. He was the youngest child. Everyone else had been executed during the Revolution. Uttering the words of absolution, the priest added, “and I forgive you as well. Be at peace.”
We may not have to forgive such a grievous wrong, but we are all called to forgive—especially those closest to us, who often hurt us most deeply. Forgiveness like this opens the gates of heaven and allows God’s grace to be poured out on us and on the person we forgive. So let this story inspire you. And let it move you to be merciful as well!
“Lord, help me to become a channel of your mercy in my home!”
11 August 2010
11 Aug 2010, Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ez 9:1-7; 10:18-22
The LORD cried loud for me to hear: Come, you scourges of the city!
With that I saw six men coming from the direction
of the upper gate which faces the north,
each with a destroying weapon in his hand.
In their midst was a man dressed in linen,
with a writer’s case at his waist.
They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.
Then he called to the man dressed in linen
with the writer’s case at his waist, saying to him:
Pass through the city, through Jerusalem,
and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan
over all the abominations that are practiced within it.
To the others I heard the LORD say:
Pass through the city after him and strike!
Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy!
Old men, youths and maidens, women and children–wipe them out!
But do not touch any marked with the “Thau”; begin at my sanctuary.
So they began with the men, the elders, who were in front of the temple.
Defile the temple, he said to them, and fill the courts with the slain;
then go out and strike in the city.
Then the glory of the LORD left the threshold of the temple
and rested upon the cherubim.
These lifted their wings, and I saw them rise from the earth,
the wheels rising along with them.
They stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the LORD’s house,
and the glory of the God of Israel was up above them.
Then the cherubim lifted their wings, and the wheels went along with them,
while up above them was the glory of the God of Israel.
Gospel
Mt 18:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”
Meditation: Matthew 18:15-20
“If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:19)
Wow, what a promise! But let’s be clear. Jesus isn’t talking about some magical way to get whatever we want. And he isn’t guaranteeing that we will win the lottery if we just ask a friend to join us in prayer for such a huge windfall. No, Jesus is talking about how good it is to have someone praying with us for something we need or deeply desire.
It is not always easy waiting and trusting in the Lord, and that’s why it’s so helpful to be able to have someone join us in prayer. Praying with someone is very encouraging. It helps us to know that someone else is supporting us and understands our need. It also helps strengthen our resolve to persevere and helps us discern God’s direction when someone offers us words of wisdom or encouragement.
Consider this true story: A woman and her husband were at the point of divorce. The woman dearly wanted to save their marriage, but her husband kept demanding that she sign divorce papers. Eventually he moved out of the house. Brokenhearted, his wife asked some friends to pray with her for the healing of their marriage. These friends joined her in prayer and supported her through her difficulties. Together they stormed heaven to bring her husband back, and thirteen months later, he did reconcile with his wife. Both the man and the woman acknowledge that it was God’s grace that brought them back together and mended their relationship. They both believe, also, that the woman would not have held onto any hope if it weren’t for the prayerful support of her dear friends.
Is there someone you know who needs your prayer? Is there someone you can join in praying for a special intention? Team up with that person, and you’ll be amazed at what happens. Keep persevering, and watch how the Lord works in both of your lives. Journeying together can give great peace in the storms of life, no matter what the outcome. In fact, that peace just may be the unintended answer to your prayers!
“Lord, give your children the gift of faith in your promises—and the gift of fellowship with each other.”
Ez 9:1-7; 10:18-22
The LORD cried loud for me to hear: Come, you scourges of the city!
With that I saw six men coming from the direction
of the upper gate which faces the north,
each with a destroying weapon in his hand.
In their midst was a man dressed in linen,
with a writer’s case at his waist.
They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.
Then he called to the man dressed in linen
with the writer’s case at his waist, saying to him:
Pass through the city, through Jerusalem,
and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan
over all the abominations that are practiced within it.
To the others I heard the LORD say:
Pass through the city after him and strike!
Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy!
Old men, youths and maidens, women and children–wipe them out!
But do not touch any marked with the “Thau”; begin at my sanctuary.
So they began with the men, the elders, who were in front of the temple.
Defile the temple, he said to them, and fill the courts with the slain;
then go out and strike in the city.
Then the glory of the LORD left the threshold of the temple
and rested upon the cherubim.
These lifted their wings, and I saw them rise from the earth,
the wheels rising along with them.
They stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the LORD’s house,
and the glory of the God of Israel was up above them.
Then the cherubim lifted their wings, and the wheels went along with them,
while up above them was the glory of the God of Israel.
Gospel
Mt 18:15-20
Jesus said to his disciples:
“If your brother sins against you,
go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.
If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.
If he does not listen,
take one or two others along with you,
so that every fact may be established
on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.
If he refuses to listen even to the Church,
then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.
Amen, I say to you,
whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,
and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth
about anything for which they are to pray,
it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name,
there am I in the midst of them.”
Meditation: Matthew 18:15-20
“If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” (Matthew 18:19)
Wow, what a promise! But let’s be clear. Jesus isn’t talking about some magical way to get whatever we want. And he isn’t guaranteeing that we will win the lottery if we just ask a friend to join us in prayer for such a huge windfall. No, Jesus is talking about how good it is to have someone praying with us for something we need or deeply desire.
It is not always easy waiting and trusting in the Lord, and that’s why it’s so helpful to be able to have someone join us in prayer. Praying with someone is very encouraging. It helps us to know that someone else is supporting us and understands our need. It also helps strengthen our resolve to persevere and helps us discern God’s direction when someone offers us words of wisdom or encouragement.
Consider this true story: A woman and her husband were at the point of divorce. The woman dearly wanted to save their marriage, but her husband kept demanding that she sign divorce papers. Eventually he moved out of the house. Brokenhearted, his wife asked some friends to pray with her for the healing of their marriage. These friends joined her in prayer and supported her through her difficulties. Together they stormed heaven to bring her husband back, and thirteen months later, he did reconcile with his wife. Both the man and the woman acknowledge that it was God’s grace that brought them back together and mended their relationship. They both believe, also, that the woman would not have held onto any hope if it weren’t for the prayerful support of her dear friends.
Is there someone you know who needs your prayer? Is there someone you can join in praying for a special intention? Team up with that person, and you’ll be amazed at what happens. Keep persevering, and watch how the Lord works in both of your lives. Journeying together can give great peace in the storms of life, no matter what the outcome. In fact, that peace just may be the unintended answer to your prayers!
“Lord, give your children the gift of faith in your promises—and the gift of fellowship with each other.”
10 August 2010
10 Aug 2010, Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr
Reading 1
2 Cor 9:6-10
Brothers and sisters:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Gospel
Jn 12:24-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
Meditation: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)
Paul had taken up a collection for the church in Jerusalem. Besides providing material aid to the church there, he wanted to demonstrate the unity between Jews and Gentiles in the whole church. This was a crucial point for the first believers, as the animosity between Jews and non-Jews was rooted in centuries-old prejudices. Paul told the Corinthians that their less-wealthy brothers and sisters in Macedonia had given generously to Jerusalem. Now it was their turn to demonstrate their love and support.
Paul’s rationale for giving was simple: If you have plenty, you should be willing to give abundantly. Give without worrying about the cost, and give as the Spirit prompts, “without sadness or compulsion.” Why such open abundance? Because “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). He knew that in God’s economy, giving, not acquiring, is the key. Our Father is the ruler of the whole universe; he is more than able to provide for our needs.
Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, a deacon in the early church who had charge over the poor in Rome. He is venerated because he was martyred for his refusal to hand over to the emperor the money that was given to support the needy. Lawrence was a cheerful giver indeed—to the point of making lighthearted statements of faith and trust in God even as he was being put to death.
Both Paul and Lawrence tell us that if God has given us any gift at all, we should use it up for others. Even if we feel inadequate or lacking in the resources we need, we should just ask, and our generous Father will not fail us.
So if God has given you the gift of hospitality, lavish it on your neighbors and fellow parishioners. If he has given you a gift of compassion, spend it on the lowly and suffering. If he has given you a gift of light-heartedness like Lawrence, spend it on the people around you. Sow as bountifully as you can, and you will reap even more bountifully!
“Father, all gifts come from you. Show me how to be generous today and to share everything that you have so graciously given me.”
2 Cor 9:6-10
Brothers and sisters:
Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,
for God loves a cheerful giver.
Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,
so that in all things, always having all you need,
you may have an abundance for every good work.
As it is written:
He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will supply and multiply your seed
and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
Gospel
Jn 12:24-26
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,
it remains just a grain of wheat;
but if it dies, it produces much fruit.
Whoever loves his life loses it,
and whoever hates his life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
Whoever serves me must follow me,
and where I am, there also will my servant be.
The Father will honor whoever serves me.”
Meditation: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10
“Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)
Paul had taken up a collection for the church in Jerusalem. Besides providing material aid to the church there, he wanted to demonstrate the unity between Jews and Gentiles in the whole church. This was a crucial point for the first believers, as the animosity between Jews and non-Jews was rooted in centuries-old prejudices. Paul told the Corinthians that their less-wealthy brothers and sisters in Macedonia had given generously to Jerusalem. Now it was their turn to demonstrate their love and support.
Paul’s rationale for giving was simple: If you have plenty, you should be willing to give abundantly. Give without worrying about the cost, and give as the Spirit prompts, “without sadness or compulsion.” Why such open abundance? Because “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). He knew that in God’s economy, giving, not acquiring, is the key. Our Father is the ruler of the whole universe; he is more than able to provide for our needs.
Today is the feast of St. Lawrence, a deacon in the early church who had charge over the poor in Rome. He is venerated because he was martyred for his refusal to hand over to the emperor the money that was given to support the needy. Lawrence was a cheerful giver indeed—to the point of making lighthearted statements of faith and trust in God even as he was being put to death.
Both Paul and Lawrence tell us that if God has given us any gift at all, we should use it up for others. Even if we feel inadequate or lacking in the resources we need, we should just ask, and our generous Father will not fail us.
So if God has given you the gift of hospitality, lavish it on your neighbors and fellow parishioners. If he has given you a gift of compassion, spend it on the lowly and suffering. If he has given you a gift of light-heartedness like Lawrence, spend it on the people around you. Sow as bountifully as you can, and you will reap even more bountifully!
“Father, all gifts come from you. Show me how to be generous today and to share everything that you have so graciously given me.”
09 August 2010
09 Aug 2010, Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c
On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year,
that is, of King Jehoiachin’s exile,
The word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel,
the son of Buzi,
in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar.—
There the hand of the LORD came upon me.
As I looked, a stormwind came from the North,
a huge cloud with flashing fire enveloped in brightness,
from the midst of which (the midst of the fire)
something gleamed like electrum.
Within it were figures resembling four living creatures
that looked like this: their form was human.
Then I heard the sound of their wings,
like the roaring of mighty waters,
like the voice of the Almighty.
When they moved, the sound of the tumult was like the din of an army.
And when they stood still, they lowered their wings.
Above the firmament over their heads
something like a throne could be seen,
looking like sapphire.
Upon it was seated, up above, one who had the appearance of a man.
Upward from what resembled his waist I saw what gleamed like electrum;
downward from what resembled his waist I saw what looked like fire;
he was surrounded with splendor.
Like the bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day
was the splendor that surrounded him.
Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
Gospel
Mt 17:22-27
As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”
And they were overwhelmed with grief.
When they came to Capernaum,
the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,
“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes,” he said.
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?”
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,
“Then the subjects are exempt.
But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you.”
Meditation: Ezekiel 1:2-5,24-28
“In the land of the Chaldeans …the hand of the Lord came upon me.” (Ezekiel 1:3)
Ezekiel was a priest from Jerusalem who was among the skilled workers sent into exile by the Babylonian king in 597 b.c. This exile was seen as a national disgrace, a sign of God’s disfavor over the people’s disregard of the covenant. So when the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in far-off Babylon, it was news indeed. Here he was, cut off from Jerusalem and the Temple, and still God called him. Amazing! God hadn’t abandoned the people to their fate! He still wanted to nourish them with his word, even in this foreign, hostile land!
What did God say to the exiles through Ezekiel? Well, he didn’t confirm their hopes for a swift return home and an easy peace. Instead, Ezekiel prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem as the consequence of the people’s disobedience and rebellion. And within a few years, he was proved right. In 586 b.c., Babylon’s army overran the city, and the sacred Temple was burnt to the ground.
Just then, something very interesting happened. Ezekiel, once known as a prophet of condemnation and doom, began speaking of restoration and renewal instead. He promised that God would do something new among his people. He would raise them up and give them a new heart. He would give them a new spirit that would inspire them to think and act in accordance with his will. He would raise them from their graves of isolation and destruction and give them new life and hope (Ezekiel 37).
Through his prophecies, Ezekiel offered the people confrontation and comfort—each according to their needs at the time. He showed how faithful God is to his people and to his purposes. And today he shows us that no matter how far we may wander from him, God will not give up on us.
We all experience rough patches in our relationship with the Lord. We all have periods when we just can’t seem to stay close to him. It’s in these times that God turns to us with compassion and the offer of healing. He doesn’t reject us at all. On the contrary, it seems that he loves us even more. That’s how faithful he is to all of us!
“Father, so many people are far from you today, yet you have not abandoned them. Jesus, we entrust all of creation to you!”
Ez 1:2-5, 24-28c
On the fifth day of the fourth month of the fifth year,
that is, of King Jehoiachin’s exile,
The word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel,
the son of Buzi,
in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar.—
There the hand of the LORD came upon me.
As I looked, a stormwind came from the North,
a huge cloud with flashing fire enveloped in brightness,
from the midst of which (the midst of the fire)
something gleamed like electrum.
Within it were figures resembling four living creatures
that looked like this: their form was human.
Then I heard the sound of their wings,
like the roaring of mighty waters,
like the voice of the Almighty.
When they moved, the sound of the tumult was like the din of an army.
And when they stood still, they lowered their wings.
Above the firmament over their heads
something like a throne could be seen,
looking like sapphire.
Upon it was seated, up above, one who had the appearance of a man.
Upward from what resembled his waist I saw what gleamed like electrum;
downward from what resembled his waist I saw what looked like fire;
he was surrounded with splendor.
Like the bow which appears in the clouds on a rainy day
was the splendor that surrounded him.
Such was the vision of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
Gospel
Mt 17:22-27
As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,
Jesus said to them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,
and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”
And they were overwhelmed with grief.
When they came to Capernaum,
the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,
“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?”
“Yes,” he said.
When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,
Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?
From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?
From their subjects or from foreigners?”
When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,
“Then the subjects are exempt.
But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,
and take the first fish that comes up.
Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.
Give that to them for me and for you.”
Meditation: Ezekiel 1:2-5,24-28
“In the land of the Chaldeans …the hand of the Lord came upon me.” (Ezekiel 1:3)
Ezekiel was a priest from Jerusalem who was among the skilled workers sent into exile by the Babylonian king in 597 b.c. This exile was seen as a national disgrace, a sign of God’s disfavor over the people’s disregard of the covenant. So when the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in far-off Babylon, it was news indeed. Here he was, cut off from Jerusalem and the Temple, and still God called him. Amazing! God hadn’t abandoned the people to their fate! He still wanted to nourish them with his word, even in this foreign, hostile land!
What did God say to the exiles through Ezekiel? Well, he didn’t confirm their hopes for a swift return home and an easy peace. Instead, Ezekiel prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem as the consequence of the people’s disobedience and rebellion. And within a few years, he was proved right. In 586 b.c., Babylon’s army overran the city, and the sacred Temple was burnt to the ground.
Just then, something very interesting happened. Ezekiel, once known as a prophet of condemnation and doom, began speaking of restoration and renewal instead. He promised that God would do something new among his people. He would raise them up and give them a new heart. He would give them a new spirit that would inspire them to think and act in accordance with his will. He would raise them from their graves of isolation and destruction and give them new life and hope (Ezekiel 37).
Through his prophecies, Ezekiel offered the people confrontation and comfort—each according to their needs at the time. He showed how faithful God is to his people and to his purposes. And today he shows us that no matter how far we may wander from him, God will not give up on us.
We all experience rough patches in our relationship with the Lord. We all have periods when we just can’t seem to stay close to him. It’s in these times that God turns to us with compassion and the offer of healing. He doesn’t reject us at all. On the contrary, it seems that he loves us even more. That’s how faithful he is to all of us!
“Father, so many people are far from you today, yet you have not abandoned them. Jesus, we entrust all of creation to you!”
07 August 2010
08 Aug 2010, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Wis 18:6-9
The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,
that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith,
they might have courage.
Your people awaited the salvation of the just
and the destruction of their foes.
For when you punished our adversaries,
in this you glorified us whom you had summoned.
For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice
and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.
Reading 2
Heb 11:1-2,8-19
Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
—and Sarah herself was sterile—
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was
trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
All these died in faith.
They did not receive what had been promised
but saw it and greeted it from afar
and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come,
they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,
of whom it was said,
“Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
Gospel
Lk 12:32-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,
for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your belongings and give alms.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven
that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”
Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Meditation: Luke 12:32-48
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
What a wonderful promise! God delights in giving us his kingdom—in taking us to be with him forever. But before we see this promise realized, there is a lot of waiting. The Israelites knew God would defeat their enemies, but they had to wait out many plagues before Pharaoh fi nally let them go. God promised Abraham a son, but look how long his childlessness stretched on before Isaac was born. Similarly, we know that Jesus will knock at our door one day to take us to his side, but until then, we have to hold on to our faith.
It’s good to know that we are not waiting in the dark with no idea of what it will be like when the kingdom comes. Because of Jesus’ cross and resurrection, the kingdom has already begun to unfold in our world and in our hearts. We get a glimpse of it every time we gather to worship the Lord. We see it in the least of his people, whose needs tug at our hearts. We feel it when we forgive someone who has wronged us, and when we receive forgiveness from someone we have hurt.
So don’t hesitate to invest in God’s kingdom. Choose every day to live as you want to live when it comes in all its fullness. As you do, something wonderful and surprising happens: Jesus Christ, your King, sits you down and waits on you! He honors you for helping someone when you could just as easily have turned away. He congratulates you for turning the other cheek and not seeking revenge. He rewards you for caring for his beloved poor.
God is never outdone in generosity. He has promised you the kingdom, and he delivers on that promise every day!
“Father, thank you for calling me to live in your kingdom. I place my heart into your keeping, for you are my only treasure.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Individual Reflection or Group Discussion
(Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm 33:1,12,18-22; Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19; Luke 12:32-48)
1. The first reading today speaks of awaiting the salvation of the just. How patient are you in waiting for the Lord? What are the circumstances when you aren’t?
2. The responsorial psalm talks of those who “hope” for God’s kindness. The psalmist also prays: “May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you” (Psalm 33:22). Our Catechism says that hope is both “the confident expectation of divine blessing” and “the fear of offending God’s love”. We sin against hope by despair. In what way does our view of the nature and character of God, and his disposition towards us, contribute to this despair? What are the circumstances in your life that can cause you to despair of hope, and in receiving God’s love?
3. In the Letter to the Hebrews we read the story of Abraham, who did not presume upon his own ideas or his own abilities. He confidently placed his trust in God. What are some times in your life when you stepped out in faith, trusting God that he would protect and sustain you. Is there anything in your life right now that you are fearful of doing — something that God may be asking of you?
4. Today’s Gospel begins with the words: “Do not be afraid”. Jesus tells us why: “for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”. What steps can you take to open yourself to receive all that your Heavenly Father wants to give you? What might be holding you back?
5. The meditation ends with these words, “God is never outdone in generosity. He has promised you the kingdom, and he delivers on that promise every day!” What are some ways that God has shown his generosity to you?
Wis 18:6-9
The night of the passover was known beforehand to our fathers,
that, with sure knowledge of the oaths in which they put their faith,
they might have courage.
Your people awaited the salvation of the just
and the destruction of their foes.
For when you punished our adversaries,
in this you glorified us whom you had summoned.
For in secret the holy children of the good were offering sacrifice
and putting into effect with one accord the divine institution.
Reading 2
Heb 11:1-2,8-19
Brothers and sisters:
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
—and Sarah herself was sterile—
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was
trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
All these died in faith.
They did not receive what had been promised
but saw it and greeted it from afar
and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come,
they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,
of whom it was said,
“Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
Gospel
Lk 12:32-48
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock,
for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.
Sell your belongings and give alms.
Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out,
an inexhaustible treasure in heaven
that no thief can reach nor moth destroy.
For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”
Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, the master will put the servant
in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself,
‘My master is delayed in coming,’
and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants,
to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant’s master will come
on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour
and will punish the servant severely
and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master’s will
but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will
shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will
but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating
shall be beaten only lightly.
Much will be required of the person entrusted with much,
and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Meditation: Luke 12:32-48
“Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
What a wonderful promise! God delights in giving us his kingdom—in taking us to be with him forever. But before we see this promise realized, there is a lot of waiting. The Israelites knew God would defeat their enemies, but they had to wait out many plagues before Pharaoh fi nally let them go. God promised Abraham a son, but look how long his childlessness stretched on before Isaac was born. Similarly, we know that Jesus will knock at our door one day to take us to his side, but until then, we have to hold on to our faith.
It’s good to know that we are not waiting in the dark with no idea of what it will be like when the kingdom comes. Because of Jesus’ cross and resurrection, the kingdom has already begun to unfold in our world and in our hearts. We get a glimpse of it every time we gather to worship the Lord. We see it in the least of his people, whose needs tug at our hearts. We feel it when we forgive someone who has wronged us, and when we receive forgiveness from someone we have hurt.
So don’t hesitate to invest in God’s kingdom. Choose every day to live as you want to live when it comes in all its fullness. As you do, something wonderful and surprising happens: Jesus Christ, your King, sits you down and waits on you! He honors you for helping someone when you could just as easily have turned away. He congratulates you for turning the other cheek and not seeking revenge. He rewards you for caring for his beloved poor.
God is never outdone in generosity. He has promised you the kingdom, and he delivers on that promise every day!
“Father, thank you for calling me to live in your kingdom. I place my heart into your keeping, for you are my only treasure.”
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions for Individual Reflection or Group Discussion
(Wisdom 18:6-9; Psalm 33:1,12,18-22; Hebrews 11:1-2,8-19; Luke 12:32-48)
1. The first reading today speaks of awaiting the salvation of the just. How patient are you in waiting for the Lord? What are the circumstances when you aren’t?
2. The responsorial psalm talks of those who “hope” for God’s kindness. The psalmist also prays: “May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you” (Psalm 33:22). Our Catechism says that hope is both “the confident expectation of divine blessing” and “the fear of offending God’s love”. We sin against hope by despair. In what way does our view of the nature and character of God, and his disposition towards us, contribute to this despair? What are the circumstances in your life that can cause you to despair of hope, and in receiving God’s love?
3. In the Letter to the Hebrews we read the story of Abraham, who did not presume upon his own ideas or his own abilities. He confidently placed his trust in God. What are some times in your life when you stepped out in faith, trusting God that he would protect and sustain you. Is there anything in your life right now that you are fearful of doing — something that God may be asking of you?
4. Today’s Gospel begins with the words: “Do not be afraid”. Jesus tells us why: “for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”. What steps can you take to open yourself to receive all that your Heavenly Father wants to give you? What might be holding you back?
5. The meditation ends with these words, “God is never outdone in generosity. He has promised you the kingdom, and he delivers on that promise every day!” What are some ways that God has shown his generosity to you?
07 Aug 2010, Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1
Hb 1:12—2:4
Are you not from eternity, O LORD,
my holy God, immortal?
O LORD, you have marked him for judgment,
O Rock, you have readied him punishment!
Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil,
and the sight of misery you cannot endure.
Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence
while the wicked man devours
one more just than himself?
You have made man like the fish of the sea,
like creeping things without a ruler.
He brings them all up with his hook,
he hauls them away with his net,
He gathers them in his seine;
and so he rejoices and exults.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net,
and burns incense to his seine;
for thanks to them his portion is generous,
and his repast sumptuous.
Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword
to slay peoples without mercy?
I will stand at my guard post,
and station myself upon the rampart,
And keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what answer he will give to my complaint.
Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision
Clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash man has no integrity;
but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.
Gospel
Mt 17:14-20
A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
“Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Jesus said in reply,
“O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?
Bring the boy here to me.”
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
“Why could we not drive it out?”
He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Meditation: Habakkuk 1:12–2:4
“Then the Lord answered me.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
The prophet Habakkuk was about to be engaged in one of the most amazing conversations in the Bible. It didn’t start out so amazing, though. Habakkuk was perplexed and brokenhearted. Israel had become saturated with violence and injustice, and he wanted to know what God was going to do about it. But as the conversation unfolded, he saw God’s salvation, and the vision filled him with hope.
Do you believe that you can hear God speaking to you? You can, you know. God loves talking with his children. So let’s take a look at how this prophet spoke—and listened—to God so that we can learn from him.
Habakkuk began by coming to God with questions: “Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?” (Habakkuk 1:13). Why did God let things get so bad? He wasn’t afraid to pour out his heart and ask God some hard, even demanding, questions.
But not only is Habakkuk courageous, he is persistent and patient as well: “I will stand at my guard post, and station myself upon the rampart, and keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what answer he will give to my complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1). It wasn’t enough just to make one simple request. He kept on asking. He kept on listening, too, trying to discern God’s voice among all the other voices in and around him. Habakkuk shows us that devotion to prayer is important if only because friendship takes time!
Finally, God answered. But what was the first thing he said? “Write down the vision” (Habakkuk 2:2). Make sure you are keeping track of my words to you, lest you forget them or confuse them. Hold fast to what you have heard, because the vision “still has its time” (2:3). It may not come to pass right away, and you will want to keep alert so that you can spot it when it does happen.
Do you want to begin a lifelong conversation with the Lord? Then follow Habakkuk’s example. Ask him real questions. Take the time to meditate and listen for his answers. And be sure to write down what you think he is saying to you. God is always speaking to us. We just need to learn how to hear him!
“Lord, help me to hear your voice. I want to know friendship with you!”
Hb 1:12—2:4
Are you not from eternity, O LORD,
my holy God, immortal?
O LORD, you have marked him for judgment,
O Rock, you have readied him punishment!
Too pure are your eyes to look upon evil,
and the sight of misery you cannot endure.
Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence
while the wicked man devours
one more just than himself?
You have made man like the fish of the sea,
like creeping things without a ruler.
He brings them all up with his hook,
he hauls them away with his net,
He gathers them in his seine;
and so he rejoices and exults.
Therefore he sacrifices to his net,
and burns incense to his seine;
for thanks to them his portion is generous,
and his repast sumptuous.
Shall he, then, keep on brandishing his sword
to slay peoples without mercy?
I will stand at my guard post,
and station myself upon the rampart,
And keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what answer he will give to my complaint.
Then the LORD answered me and said:
Write down the vision
Clearly upon the tablets,
so that one can read it readily.
For the vision still has its time,
presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint;
If it delays, wait for it,
it will surely come, it will not be late.
The rash man has no integrity;
but the just man, because of his faith, shall live.
Gospel
Mt 17:14-20
A man came up to Jesus, knelt down before him, and said,
“Lord, have pity on my son, who is a lunatic and suffers severely;
often he falls into fire, and often into water.
I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.”
Jesus said in reply,
“O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you?
How long will I endure you?
Bring the boy here to me.”
Jesus rebuked him and the demon came out of him,
and from that hour the boy was cured.
Then the disciples approached Jesus in private and said,
“Why could we not drive it out?”
He said to them, “Because of your little faith.
Amen, I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Meditation: Habakkuk 1:12–2:4
“Then the Lord answered me.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
The prophet Habakkuk was about to be engaged in one of the most amazing conversations in the Bible. It didn’t start out so amazing, though. Habakkuk was perplexed and brokenhearted. Israel had become saturated with violence and injustice, and he wanted to know what God was going to do about it. But as the conversation unfolded, he saw God’s salvation, and the vision filled him with hope.
Do you believe that you can hear God speaking to you? You can, you know. God loves talking with his children. So let’s take a look at how this prophet spoke—and listened—to God so that we can learn from him.
Habakkuk began by coming to God with questions: “Why, then, do you gaze on the faithless in silence while the wicked man devours one more just than himself?” (Habakkuk 1:13). Why did God let things get so bad? He wasn’t afraid to pour out his heart and ask God some hard, even demanding, questions.
But not only is Habakkuk courageous, he is persistent and patient as well: “I will stand at my guard post, and station myself upon the rampart, and keep watch to see what he will say to me, and what answer he will give to my complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1). It wasn’t enough just to make one simple request. He kept on asking. He kept on listening, too, trying to discern God’s voice among all the other voices in and around him. Habakkuk shows us that devotion to prayer is important if only because friendship takes time!
Finally, God answered. But what was the first thing he said? “Write down the vision” (Habakkuk 2:2). Make sure you are keeping track of my words to you, lest you forget them or confuse them. Hold fast to what you have heard, because the vision “still has its time” (2:3). It may not come to pass right away, and you will want to keep alert so that you can spot it when it does happen.
Do you want to begin a lifelong conversation with the Lord? Then follow Habakkuk’s example. Ask him real questions. Take the time to meditate and listen for his answers. And be sure to write down what you think he is saying to you. God is always speaking to us. We just need to learn how to hear him!
“Lord, help me to hear your voice. I want to know friendship with you!”
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