Saturday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Do you like change? Do you see yourself as flexible and able to 'go with the flow' of life? Well, many of us do not fit in that category. When changes are necessary or inevitable, we struggle to keep our bearings. Even changes we perceive as 'good' can cause stress and disrupt our lives. But living as a disciple, living in the hope of the Gospel, necessarily implies we are on a journey of constant change—of conversion. Today's Scriptures invite us to reflect on how interconnected hope and change are for those who follow Jesus.
In the first reading, Paul urges the Colossians to continue living firmly with faith in Jesus, "not shifting from the hope of the Gospel". Paul reminds that Jesus is one and only source of our hope and our redemption. In the Gospel, this foundational truth comes into question when Jesus is confronted by the Pharisees as he and his disciples do not adhere to the rules in observance of the Sabbath. What exactly is the source of their hope…the Law or God? It's often uncomfortable to see someone live their life guided by something different than our own rules or traditions. Even when we see a better, more loving way to live, we can find ourselves rigidly clinging to what is familiar and secure. But rules and customs and traditions are useful only insofar as they serve to nurture faith, hope, and love in the Body of Christ.
Living life as a disciple of Jesus is all about hope, always open to change. Accepting the Gospel's invitation to live in hope enables us to live more confidently in the face of uncertainty and personal powerlessness. Hope allows us to recommit daily to the Gospel and keeps us moving forward. Hopeful—even joyful—surrender, to whatever lies before us keeps us in balance and open to the grace of conversion. Today, let us consciously live our discipleship in this sacred hope and surrender. And may our lives always reflect the living hope of the Gospel of Jesus.
Gail Lyman