Ordinary Time: Monday, June 23, 2008

Old Testament Lesson

Numbers 16:1-19

One of the unexpected things we see a lot of in Numbers is jealous and pride. It seems to come up over and over again. Numbers is an interesting book.  It starts off so hopefully. The people are getting ready to go into the land and possess it. But, by the end of the book, they have have been punished for their sin, and the Lord tells them that they must wander for 40 years, and the original generation will not make it to the Promised Land; it will be their children. 

Perhaps all their problems started with pride. Perhaps that was the sin that all the sins were built upon. Perhaps their pride caused everything else to eventually tumble down. Proverbs tells us that it is the pride that goes before the fall. Today, may we keep watch on pride, and live in confidence of God's love, but live in a true sense of humility.

New Testament Lesson

Romans 3:21-31

We see Paul resound this theme as well. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All of us have sinned, all of us have made mistakes, none of us are perfect.  That is the reality of lives.  None of are sinless. But, if God's grace comes to us, then all of us are precious in His slight, all of us are loved, all of us have a hope and a future and a present. All of us can do amazing things for God, and experience life more than we ever imagined. 

Not because we are perfect, but because He is perfect.  Let us remember that God's love came first. May that knowledge give us humble hearts, but also thankful hearts.

Gospel Lesson

Matthew 19:13-22

And in this, we see the price of pride. Jesus tells the young man the things he must do to inherit life and he says, oh, I've done all those since I was a boy.  He was trying to stand before Jesus, chest puffed out, saying, look at me.  

Jesus says, well, you still don't love me first. Sell it all, give it to the poor and follow me. And that last part was the most important. Follow me.  Everything else pales in comparison to following Jesus. 

Today, may we be people that follow Jesus, above everything else.  May we see Him, may we love Him, and may we follow Him. For it is in the following Him that we find life. May we follow, and may we find the life that we need.