Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
The challenge always before us is to let the daily readings draw us to new and deeper insights of the Lord and how these insights are part of God’s attempts to grow us. The imagery from today’s first reading captured my imagination and caused me to view the whole of today’s readings with new eyes. The images of being planted and watered, growing and serving the Lord jumped out at me throughout the readings.
How much time and energy do we spend focusing on the day to day details? It often takes a retreat or a challenging homily to get us to look at the continuum of our whole life. That is precisely what today’s readings did for me. From the first reading I pondered who planted and nurtured me? My parents are the ones who planted and watered me as they are the ones who claimed me for Christ and raised me in this rich faith. They too, along with my parish family, encouraged and at times challenged me when I was not paying attention at church, wanting to skip Mass or living unlike a believer. They did their part to give God a chance to grow my faith.
In praying with these readings, more and more questions kept coming to the surface. Some of these questions were easily answered; others seemed to need further or perhaps continuous consideration. They are included below for your consideration.
Does God really grow my faith? Have I really been chosen by God? Do I really believe that I am loved by God? Do I recognize that through the events of my life God is trying to fashion my heart? God’s love is constantly showering us, yet do I really trust this? Does my heart truly accept that love and rejoice? Does the way I live my life reflect that I desire to do God’s will? Am I in fact doing God’s will? Or is that I am expecting God to conform to my will? If I truly believe that the Lord loves me and wants the best for me, wouldn’t I have less anxieties? God is the One who works in our lives, whose constant presence loves our soul into wholeness and holiness.
Reflect upon your images and expectations of God. Consider how you may be confining God and narrowing God’s opportunities to make you whole and holy. Note that these opportunities for growth might not be ones we would readily choose. Pray quietly for some significant time today. Allow your heart to be open and vulnerable to the Lord. After that, do what Peter’s mother-in-law did - Wait upon the Lord.
-Michael Montgomery