Good News Reflection
Monday of the Nineteenth Week of Ordinary Time
August 9, 2010
Today's Readings:
Ezek 1:2-5, 24-28c
Ps 148:1-2,11-14
Matt 17:22-27
http://www.usccb.org/nab/080910.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_08_09.mp3
Experiencing the glory of God
How often does the glory of the Lord reveal itself to you? If you were to describe God's glory, how would you picture it? Today's first reading is Ezekiel's vision of that glory. It matched his fiery personality.
In today's Gospel reading, Jesus pulls a rabbit out of a hat, or rather, a coin out of a fish. What a glorious way to pay taxes! Perhaps we could do that, too – but first we'd have to be as active in ministry as he was and as confident in the Father's desire to supply everything that's needed for doing it.
Today's responsorial psalm reminds us that heaven and earth are filled with God's glory. Is your life filled with it? Yes! But do you recognize it? It's all around you, for earth truly is filled with his glory. The psalmist did not say, "Heaven and earth are filled with the glory of God except where Terry is" (replace my name with your own). So, since this is true, how does the glory of God reveal itself in your life?
I'm convinced that the biggest obstruction blocking our view of the glory of God is our self-satisfying materialism. In the culture where I live, we have every convenience we could possibly want and much more besides. Why do we need miracles if we can store up money in the bank (to pay our taxes with of course), negating the need to go fishing for a miracle? How can we see Jesus telling us where to cast our nets while we're looking at the radar screen on our fish finders?
On the day I prepared this reflection, I took my laptop computer to a small boat that I own. My husband and I had purchased this boat after discovering that being out onto the water restores our energy rather quickly. It's my personal "hermitage" as well as a gift we can give to others when we have guests. I can write more reflections in one day on this boat than two weeks at the office. However, boats require a lot of maintenance, and (long story shortened) we couldn't keep up with it. After turning this problem over to God, three separate issues got fixed "all by themselves" – what was broken started working – and I just had to tell you about it as a way to give glory to God!
It's not sinful to have material goods – some Saints were very wealthy – but only if it's used for the glory of God.
At every Mass in every Catholic church, the glory of the Lord reveals itself on the altar, right there in front of all of us, when the bread and wine becomes – miraculously – the actual Body and Blood of Christ. That's a great reason to celebrate. Does it look to others like you're celebrating?
© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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