The word of God is living and effective,
sharper than any two-edged sword,
penetrating even between soul and spirit,
joints and marrow,
and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
No creature is concealed from him,
but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him
to whom we must render an account.
In today's gospel, Jesus's opponents mutter, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On another occasion, they will complain, "If Jesus were a prophet, he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner!”
What they cannot imagine is, "Jesus knew their thoughts." Although they knew they were sitting in God's presence -- for that is every religious person's belief -- they did not suppose that the word of God "discerns reflections and thoughts of the heart," or that "no creature is concealed from him."
The Pharisees and scribes in today's gospel certainly could not be called deists. That philosophical error would not appear for many centuries, but their attitude was the same. They supposed the Lord of all creation cannot be bothered with their small thoughts about the man from Nazareth. And they assumed without any effort to discern God's will -- without even casting lots -- that Jesus was trouble and should be contained, controlled, and destroyed.
Our daily prayer reminds us of God's continual presence and his benevolent gaze upon us. We learn to walk always in God's presence, even as Adam and Eve did before the Fall. We do so without shame and with constant hope. Prayer teaches us to subject our thoughts, words, and deeds to God's scrutiny.
It also teaches us to be less concerned about the opinions of others. I remember an older friar who explained it so clearly:
When I was young I worried about what people thought of me. When I got older I decided I don't care what people think about me. Now that I am an old man, I realize people don't think about me at all!
During this ordinary time of year, we might sing with the saints,
I want to walk as a child of the light
I want to follow Jesus
God sent the stars to give light to the world
The star of my life is Jesus
In Him, there is no darkness at all
The night and the day are both alike
The Lamb is the light of the city of God
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus
I want to see the brightness of God
I want to look at Jesus
Clear sun of righteousness, shine on my path
And show me the way to the Father
In Him, there is no darkness at all
The night and the day are both alike
The Lamb is the light of the city of God
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus
I'm looking for the coming of Christ
I want to be with Jesus
When we have run with patience the race
We shall know the joy of Jesus
In Him, there is no darkness at all
The night and the day are both alike
The Lamb is the light of the city of God
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus (Kathleen Thomerson)
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.