Daily Reflection for Friday, July 10, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Friday’s readings at this link:
http://usccb.org/bible/readings/071020.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Hosea 14: 2-10
Responsorial: Psalm 51: 3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14 and 17
Gospel: Matthew 10:16-23
Our reflection on Friday’s readings:
“Do not worry about what you are to speak or what you are to say. You will be given at that moment what you are to say.” Matthew 10:19
Two days ago we had a reading from Hosea that said, “break up for yourselves a field.” Basically, like a farmer or a gardener prepares a field so crops will grow, we need to prepare our hearts so Jesus can grow.
Today we hear, “Do not worry about what you will say, I will provide the words.”
As Christians, we study, pray, listen to sermons and attend retreats. We look to God for direction and earnestly listen and discern. We are in touch with the Lord and have formed our thoughts and feelings surrounding faith and God. We believe we have, to the best of our knowledge, the right answers. We have opinions, beliefs and causes we feel strongly about. God is good and we are his children.
I imagine God is happy that we study his word, pray and listen.
Today, though, we are being called to set our “knowledge” aside and empty ourselves. We are called to let God speak through us. A dear priest friend calls this “getting out of God’s way.”
Getting out of God’s way means setting aside our thoughts, opinions, wisdom, experience, or planned message. Empty ourselves so God can reach us and others in ways that are beyond our human capability.
Emptying ourselves is hard, especially in important situations like comforting someone experiencing tragedy or grief. We want to be prepared with the right words. However, the more serious the situation, the greater the need for God to be the one speaking.
That is my cue to take a deep breath. Breathe out “me,” and breathe in God. Empty and open for God to use me, I can then step into an encounter with another and let it unfold as God wills. Empty, we can step into grace.
May your life be filled with many empty, grace-filled moments.
God’s Blessings to You!
Ruth Mytty