Wednesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Are there times in your own personal history that seem lost even to yourself? As I was reflecting on the readings for today, I remembered a scene from my senior year of college. I was sitting in my apartment working in the living room on a wooden sculpture I was making. What I recall as being so profound about that moment is that one of my friends had stopped over to talk. While we were talking I kept working on sculpture. My friend remarked that they noticed I seemed more at peace while I was working on the art. And while I had that class and for a short-time after I continued to create art projects; though as my life circumstances changed, I grew apart from my art. In many ways writing has become a new way to exercise my need to do art.
In thinking about the Old Testament reading for today, I recognized God’s nudge. Our original art teacher could not attend this year’s summer religious education program and as our backup art teacher I was called upon. In trying to rediscover my genes for visual creation I realized I missed the calm connection doing art brings my spirit. The Lord was pushing me to utilize one of the gifts I discovered long ago and had forgotten.
We wander away and the Lord calls us back. After the high priest discovers the book of the law, he gives it to a scribe who in turn reads it to the king. As the king hears God’s law, he discovers that the life he and the people of Israel are living is thoroughly disobedient. Recognizing the need for change the king called on all the people of Jerusalem to completely re-enter into their covenant with the Lord. The call to reclaim their faith came from the high priests rediscovery of the law. Our call to reclaim our faith sometimes comes in more subtle ways like through a word or phrase at church or from a friend’s gentle correction.
Consider how is the Lord trying to nudge you to find good soil in which to be rooted? In today’s gospel, Jesus warns them to beware of false prophets that will cause rot in their lives. For my family, one of the “wolves in sheep’s clothing” is year around sports. We spend so much time in the car on the way to games even on Sundays, that we find it hard to always observe the third commandment. Consider the ways the Lord is calling you to rediscover the depth of your faith. Discern one way you can incline your heart towards the decrees of the Lord, so that your participation in the covenant will bear good fruit.
-Michael Montgomery