Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Words have power. Even the words we say to ourselves can have an influence. Telling myself or someone else that I WILL do something, rather than saying I’ll TRY to get that done, seems to increase the chances of doing it. It’s not fool-proof, but at least in my experience it makes a difference. Today’s readings remind me that God keeps God’s word. When God says “I will” do something, God’s gonna do it. In the first reading alone I counted God saying “I will” six times; we also hear of Jesus saying “I will do it” in today’s gospel passage. And in each case, what was said happens.
In the reading from Genesis (17:1, 9-10, 15-22) we hear of God’s promises to Abraham in his old age: “I will bless (Sarah), and I will give you a son by her.” And about their future son, Isaac, “I will maintain my covenant with him…” and about his other son, Ishmael, “I will make him fertile and will multiply him exceedingly…and I will make of him a great nation.” And “my covenant I will maintain with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.” And even though Abraham (and later, Sarah) laughed at the impossibility of it, God willed it and it happened.
Today’s short gospel passage (Matthew 8:1-4) tells us that a leper approached Jesus with faith in his power to heal him if he willed it. Matthew tells us that Jesus touched the man saying, “I will do it. Be made clean.” And “immediately” his leprosy was cleansed.
God keeps God’s word. And what does God ask of us? To have faith. To do our part. To trust in God. Even when it seems like an impossible situation. We know that our prayers are not always answered when and how we would like, but our faith (and hopefully experience) tells us that we can count on God’s word, God’s promises. My faith sometimes falters, but I try again. No, not try. I will trust in God’s word more and more, by the grace of God. Amen.
~Eileen Miller