Daily Gospel Reflection for August 9, 2021

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Matthew 17:22-27

In today’s Gospel, we see Jesus make two predictions: first about His death, and second about where His friends can get the means to pay the temple tax. Both seem unbelievable, improbable, maybe even impossible. And yet both prophecies come to pass.

In the first case, the disciples grieve what their friend will have to endure. It seems too much, perhaps, too great a price for Him to pay, too heavy a loss for them to bear. I imagine His accepting His death made them question who He was and, as an extension, who they were. Their grieving shows that they believe that His prophecy will come to pass, but also that they can’t yet see how it will glorify the Father.

The temple tax situation confounds the disciples as well. Jesus’ response would have made at least some of them again question who the Lord was—to whom does He answer? To whom is He responsible? Over whom, after all, does He have authority?

And again, the way He sees things - in a way that they can’t - proves fruitful. Though it seems more than unlikely, the course of action He chooses gives the glory to God. It puts the things of this world in their rightful place.

In our day, too, our Lord has made us a lot of promises. He has promised to love us, to be merciful to us, to prepare a place for us, to provide for us. Sometimes these things, too, may feel unbelievable, improbable, and impossible. But He has shown us, through His death and resurrection, that all of these things will come to pass. Not only that, but also that His way of seeing things, His way of loving, will glorify the Father.

The only question left, then, is whether we believe him.

Ponder:

Do you believe the Lord will fulfill the promises He’s made to you?

Pray:

Lord, help me to trust in the promises You’ve made to love and have mercy on me. Guide me to see the world with Your eyes.

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Copyright 2021 Lindsay Schlegel