Ordinary Time: Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Old Testament Lesson

2 Samuel 14:1-20

Discernment is one of the greatest spiritual gifts. It is true gift to be able to listen to God's Spirit and realize the truth. To be able to understand what is really happening, what is the real point behind something and understand what someone is trying to do. Discernment is seeing the truth, even when the truth is hard to see.

And, it is a spiritual gift to do so. It isn't something that we can do through human eyes. It isn't something that we can do out of shear will power. It takes listening. It takes learning. It take trusting in God and knowing that He will lift the scales from our eyes so that we can truly see. Today, may we long for that gift, so that we can truly see what is happening.

New Testament Lesson

Acts 21:1-14

Paul feels called by God to go to Jerusalem. But, in doing this, this could be his end. Paul was not going to a place where he was popular. He was going to a place where many regarded him as a traitor. He was going somewhere where it may end badly. Why? That's what they were trying to figure out in the text today. Why was he going there?

Because the Lord had called him to. The voice of the Lord called him to go to Jerusalem. And, even though he might not do it on his own, he was going to do what the Lord had called him to do. That is obedience. Doing the thing that we might not want to do, because the Lord has called us to.

Today, what has the Lord called us to? Is there a Jerusalem you are called to? Something you might not want to do, but you know that the Lord has called? May we have the grace to go where ever He calls.

Gospel Lesson

Mark 10:1-16

Jesus blessed the little children. They were easy to over look. They weren't powerful. They weren't rich. They weren't poplar. Yet, Jesus knew that it was their childlike faith that was to be the example of faith. So, he took them in His arms and blessed them.

Today, we do we have that childlike faith? Do we trust as children. They don't doubt, they don't worry, they don't fret. They simply believe. Today, may we do the same.