Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Every four years in the United States, we as a people are asked to make a decision by voting for a person to be our President. The closer we get to the election the louder the voices often become. The tone of voices and the tenor of the arguments often hamper people’s ability to think clearly and to listen to one another. With this in mind we might imagine Paul’s challenge in ministering to the similarly divided Christian Community in Corinth.
St. Paul clearly wants to address the division head on. ‘Whenever someone says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apollos,” are you not merely men?’ (1 Cor. 3:4) Paul admonishes the community for focusing on the minister through whom they became a believer. Instead he reminds them to focus on God, the only one who can grow the seeds planted in them. Paul wants the believers, one body united in Christ, to respond in love and service to God and one another.
Today’s gospel illustrates a variety of ways to respond to God. The crowds gathered around Jesus and tried to prevent him from leaving. They must have sensed the power and spirit with which Jesus served and wanted to contain it. Simon’s mother-in-law was healed by Jesus and she immediately served those gathered. Even the demon’s recognized and shouted “You are the Son of God.” (Lk 4:31a)
Do we recognize and proclaim Christ in our life? What is our response when we encounter Christ? Does our response attempt to contain the Spirit of God, or does it call us to serve?
Being a faithful disciple is not an easy task, especially if we try to accomplish it without Christ. We must bring what we say and do to Lord. Our lives are a response to our encounter with Christ. In light of today’s readings, this means we must recognize to whom we belong and then think, talk and act accordingly!
Amen!
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Michael Montgomery