Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Gospel speaks to me in two main ways. First this Gospel reveals to me the need for community. I see in this first story the need for us to first build up communities around us and to then rely on these communities for support. In the story of creation God did not only make Adam and walk away - he made Eve as well - God created humans to be together, in communion with one another and with the Lord. So in this moment, when this disciple had given all he had and had nothing left to give, he had somewhere to turn, someone to whom he could go for support and strength. When we feel we have nothing left to give may we too have communities we can turn to for strength and support.
I am blessed to be part of a Lay Marianist community. Recently two of our members suffered an unthinkable tragedy. It was beautiful to see how the community wrapped them in love and prayers and meals and company and support. When they were drained and had absolutely nothing left to give, we could be there for them. And this is our call - all of us - to support the people in the communities around us, in whatever way we are able.
As this Gospel goes on, we hear a very common phrase most of us know by heart, "ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." What stands out most to me about this lesson is the ask, seek and knock. These are action words. We are being told to act. Christ did not say "sit idly around and wait and all good graces will come to you." No, we are told to take action. Our faith demands that we act. This applies to both our prayer life and our interactions with others - we must take an active role in our prayer life. From this, we must act to spread God's love to all those around us.
In this tumultuous time I love that our parish theme focuses on being sacraments of peace. I look to today's gospel for some guidance on how to be that sacrament of peace. We must act to bring about peace in the communities we are part of - our families, work places, neighborhoods, parishes, schools, and our nation. We cannot think it is only our neighbor's job to bring peace - it is each of ours. Let us each feel compelled to act to bring about peace. Amen.
- AJ Grimm