God's purpose for friendships

Good News Reflection
Monday of the 29th Week of Ordinary Time
October 18, 2010

Today's Feast: St. Luke
Pray for medical practitioners:
http://wordbytes.org/saints/DailyPrayers/Luke.htm

Today's Readings:
2 Tim 4:10-17b
Ps 145:10-13,17-18
Luke 10:1-9
http://www.usccb.org/nab/101810.shtml
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/10_10_18.mp3

God's purpose for friendships

Take note of the friends that God has placed in your life. Who is in your Christian community? Let's expand that: Who are blessings from God, even if they don't belong to the same denomination as you or don't even go to any church at all? Which people are you repeatedly running into, and every time you do, you find yourself experiencing God's presence?

And who do you turn to when you need help from God?

WHY has God brought these people into your life? WHY does he make your paths cross? Could there be a reason that serves his kingdom? Could they be God appearing to you in the flesh?

Let's look at the role of friendships in ministry. In today's first reading, Paul is unhappy about losing some friends who had been working with him in ministry, and he is looking forward to others joining him. Today's reponsorial psalm reminds us that we do not make known the splendor of God's kingdom by ourselves. In today's Gospel reading, Jesus sends his disciples out into ministry with partners.

We live in a very individualistic age, but God designed us to need community. We experience him most fully through others, and the more "others" that we gather around us who can reveal Jesus to us, who can be his hands of help, his embrace of comfort, and his voice of guidance, the more we receive whatever we need from him. If something important is lacking in your life, it's probably because you've done too little to build up Godly friendships or you've self-sufficiently not allowed your friends to serve you.

Most of the time, God provides whatever we need THROUGH PEOPLE. When was the last time you needed a hug and Jesus appeared to you in your house? When did God send you an email because you were confused and uncertain? When have you recognized that Jesus actually did come to you? To give you what you needed? In the flesh? Through people?

Similarly, God provides what he wants to give to others THROUGH YOU. Is there anyone suffering because you're not involved enough in community life? Yes! You are important. You have a role in the parish, and in extended family relationships, and in the social justice programs of society that no one else can fill. Jesus wants to minister to others through you in a way that no one else can do.

God designed us to need community for the sake of continuing Christ's work in the world. Christian companionship is more than just having fun with friends and saying "peace be with you" as we shake hands with those around us in Mass. As a community, we are the Body of Christ – each of us are different parts of the same Body – so that the world can experience Jesus in the flesh.

When a ministry is not collaborating with other ministries, or an individual's need is not getting met, or a gift is not being shared, we must let go of our separateness. Then God's blessings will flow freely to us and through us.

© 2010 by Terry A. Modica
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