Daily Gospel Reflection for December 16, 2015

Today's Gospel: Luke 7:18B-23

And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.

What a strange end to tack onto our Lord's reply to John the Baptist's question.

John is in jail, but he sends his followers to ask Jesus if He is indeed the Messiah. Jesus answers by proving that, yes, He is. Here's the proof, found in the miraculous healings that John would have recognized from the writings of the Jewish prophets. This is indeed the One!

And blessed is he who takes no offense.

What an odd thing to say, and yet it's needed just as much today as it was then. People do get offended if you talk about Jesus too much, don't they?

Rather than worrying too much about the offended ones, perhaps we can rest in the upside: There's a blessing for those who let us proclaim Christ openly.

Let us give thanks for the blessing of our faith, and thanks for all those who might not share our faith yet, but show a beginning of respect for our Lord all the same.

Ponder:

Miraculous healings continued in the name of Christ, performed by the apostles and saints down through the generations, and persist even into our day. As Catholics, we also know the value of offering up our suffering and joyfully carrying our crosses. But let us do so with a simple faith, remembering that Jesus still performs miracles even now. Let us not be afraid to ask for them!

Pray:

Lord, there are many around me wondering who You really are. Sometimes I wonder, too. Are You God? Is everything in the Bible true? Is there really a Heaven? Please help us to grow in our faith. Act in our life in a way that lets us know without doubt that You love us and that you are real. Thank You. Amen.

We thank our friends at The Word Among Us for providing our gospel reflection team with copies of Abide In My Word 2015: Mass Readings at Your Fingertips. To pray the daily gospels with this wonderful resource, visit The Word Among Us.

Copyright 2015 Jennifer Fitz