Wednesday of the Seventh Week of Easter
Good-byes are often not very easy. Sometimes they are of our own choosing and sometimes they are choices are made on our behalf. The challenge can be to allow the Spirit to use all of these situations to help us and those connected with that choice to build up the Kingdom. This often can be easier said than done. When the times get tough, do we turn toward or away from God.
In the readings today, we hear both Paul and Jesus saying their good-byes. Both warn that there is the possibility that the wolves, that is evil, may lead the disciples away from the truth. This warning still applies to us today. Consider what are the wolves in your own lives? It may be people or the things of the world that can draw us away from the Word that is Jesus. It may even come from within through the stories we tell ourselves. When we give our hearts over to these bad influences intentionally, we may be opening ourselves to the evil one. What can we do to say good-bye to the wolves that we let exercise power in our lives?
The other way to think about this saying good-bye to sin might be through focusing on the Lord in a positive way. Both the readings call on us to consecrate our lives to Christ. This consecration means commend our whole lives to God. In order to do this we must allow God’s gracious word to guide us through the power of the Spirit so we can stay dedicated to the truth. As Paul reminds us today this staying focused solely on the truth will help us to build up the Kingdom.
Staying focused on the Lord will help us to see that which perverts our hearts. Then we can recognize what we need to empty in ourselves so that we might receive and be able to share with others the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
Lord, help us to empty ourselves this day of all that leads us away from you. Strengthen us with the fire of Your love, so all that we think, say, and do glorifies You who live and reign one God, now and forever. Amen. Alleluia!
-Michael Montgomery