Daily Reflection for Wednesday, July 15, 2020
Peace and Blessing, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Wednesday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/071520.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First reading: Isaiah 10:5-7, 13b-16
Responsorial: Psalm 94:5-10, 14-15
Gospel: Matthew 11:25-27
Our reflection on Wednesday's reading:
At that time Jesus exclaimed:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike. Matthew 11:25
In a recent meeting with a weekly men's group from St Monica, a member shared what he called his fond, and perhaps idealized memory of his childhood. This got me thinking about the relative sense of calm and security that is a part of my childhood recollection. This is a blessing I realize too many do not enjoy.
With this reflection I wondered where that calm and security went as the years went by and I realized it ebbed away with the coming of my more sophisticated thinking. As I grew I began to feel responsible for managing my life and my future. And for me this brought a loss of innocence and began a long history of anticipating the future and planning how I would manage it.
With this morning’s Gospel reading I cannot help but remember the fall in the Garden of Eden that opened the eyes of Adam and Eve with a knowledge of good and evil. With this new awareness Adam and Eve now endured responsibility tainted by fear and shame. In my elder years I have recognized that too often my best thinking has led me to great difficulty and sin. And while I accept my adult responsibility for making decisions, the misguided belief I am or need to be in control has not served me well.
Trust Jesus! This has become my guiding desire. This leads me to a partnership with my Lord in every area of my life. To talk with Jesus, to share my life and to listen for his guidance always serves me well and returns me to a greater sense of calm, security and connection that is reminiscent of my childhood experience long ago.
Prayer: Lord, give us the grace to fully trust you with our lives, the small and the large parts. No matter the circumstances let us sense your presence and guidance. Amen
Ed Mitchell