Daily Reflection Wednesday of the Twenty-Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

After reading today’s Scripture, I find myself questioning: “Judy, what has God entrusted to you in these later years of your life?” So, I ask all of us to go within our hearts with today’s readings to ask again: “What does God want of me as a member of the human race in this 21st century?” Jesus asks us to be prudent and faithful in all we say and do. In fact, Jesus goes one step farther to shake us up: he tells us a parable! For Jesus, parables are not just “feel good” stories but shaking us up to think and act differently. Peter doesn’t seem to get this message: “Is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” His response reminds me of a disgruntled teenager facing a long assignment! 

 

     God doesn’t NEED any of us! God WANTS all of us! Looking out my window, I see the leaves changing from green to orange. What needs to change in each of us in order to follow Jesus more closely? To deepen our friendship with a God who loves us unconditionally? These are not trick questions! Because I have found myself refraining from listening to bad news or being part of uncomfortable situations, I see that Jesus, in today’s parable, throws me back into what I want to avoid. Why? Because God is calling all of us to be attentive to our own needs and to the needs of those around us and in the far distant world! Yes, God WANTS us!

 

    We are the servants entrusted with much: Baptismal grace, gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, much is demanded of us: works of mercy, the beatitudes, the two great commandments. (Actually, the aforementioned seems like a lot of homework!) But we are not asked to accomplish these tasks alone. In fact, let’s not look on them as tasks but as a way of showing genuine selfless love to ourselves then to others. So, in our prayer, let’s ponder what spiritual or moral pain affects us the most. Like Paul, Jesus has asked us to preach “the inscrutable riches of Christ” to everyone in our words, actions, and physical demeanor.

 

    Yes, Jesus tells us that much is required of the person entrusted with much: personality characteristics, material gifts, and whatever we have to contribute to a more peaceful church, nation, and society in general. 

 

    The last time I was in the Famished Frog Restaurant in Morristown, I saw a framed poster that encouraged me to think about myself and others. I share this with you for your own reflection: