“My child, you are always with me. Everything I have is yours.” (Luke 15:31)
Today’s 2nd reading reminds us that “whoever thinks he is standing firm should take care not to fall.” Hmmm. Often, we think that we know who has it together spiritually. But looks can be deceiving. After all, Moses was tending sheep when God gave him a bush afire that was not consumed by the flames to get his attention. Once God had his attention, Moses learned that God had chosen him (a shepherd) to lead the Israelites. In today’s Gospel, Jesus warns his disciples to resist the temptation to think that those who suffer tragedy or calamity must have done something very wrong to deserve such a fate. Furthermore, his parable about the tree that wouldn’t bear fruit demonstrates the need for patience and cultivation in order to see if the tree is indeed worthless. God is with us always, always patient and ready to call forth our gifts and cultivate them.
Reflection questions for this week:
- Are we tempted to think that certain people have it made spiritually? If yes, who?
- Are we tempted to think that certain people have done something to cause their own tragedies? If yes, who?
- How do we permit God to call forth our gifts and cultivate them? Do we cooperate or resist God’s call or cultivation?
- What have been the “burning bushes” in our own faith walk?
Pat Fosarelli for the Liturgy Committee