Daily Reflection for Wednesday, October 19 2022
Peace and Blessing, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Wednesday’s readings at this link:
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/101922.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First reading: Ephesians 3: 2-12
Responsorial: Isaiah 12: 2-6
Gospel: Luke12: 39-48
Our refection on Wednesday’s readings:
“You must also be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the son of man will come.” Luke 12:40
In my younger days, much younger, this is one of those scripture passages that scared me. As a young man beginning to notice girls, my attention was often drawn away from any awareness of the Lord's presence in my life. In the culture of the 50s and 60s, religious awareness and sexual awakening did not blend well.
In today's culture, things have not improved; in fact they are worse. The use of sex and image to market what will make us successful and happy is everywhere. So much distracts and distorts our attention, presented on so many devices, that our awareness can be enslaved by it all.
Today this call to awareness of the coming of the Son of Man seems less a warning and more an invitation to a better path, a healthier way to spend our awareness. Our souls yearn for love and peace. We do not find these in the many things that compete for our attention—not just our attention, but our trust and commitment. Too often we do not recognize the true cost of where we look and what we see.
Praise be to God! Through prayer and supportive community, we can ask for protection from both the evil and the profane in our world. We can ask for the Lord's guidance regarding what and how we perceive and how we react to all that passes before us.
We can choose to give our attention and our focus to a better use of our time and energy.
Prayer, listening for the whisper of the Lord's voice, can guide us. Clean out the litter in our lives that does not serve us well; then make space for better focus and helpful perception.
Prayer: Lord, give us the eyes to see the truth, ears to hear your encouragement, and the will to follow you, searching for your love, power and grace in every day.
May we see the Lord coming today,
Ed Mitchell