Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.
Today's Gospel: Luke 14:1-6
At the heart of this reading, we see the Pharisees (again) watching to see what Jesus is going to do. Surely, He will do or say something to annoy or anger them and as always, He doesn’t disappoint. But, they were left, as usual, “unable to answer His question.”
His question? Wouldn’t we help our child or even our animal if they needed? Of course, we would, but apparently the Pharisees would hesitate and check the calendar first.
The part of the reading that caught my eye?
“. . . the people there were observing him carefully."
Beyond the Pharisees there were other people, perhaps a lot of people, watching Jesus. What about us? On one hand, are we observing Jesus? While we can’t do it literally, we observe Him best in the Scriptures and the Sacraments, His death for our salvation, and His continuing outpouring of grace, mercy and forgiveness.
And on the other hand, we are also watching others. I know I’m a fan of people-watching at the mall. We can see how people act at the grocery store, during our commutes, on Youtube, everywhere. And they can see us.
Realizing others see how I am acting can be a good motivator to better behavior. In years past, entering the grocery store or library or any public setting followed by any number of my eleven children gave me pause. I strived to witness to the joy of a large family and endured any number of rude questions and side glances, not unlike Christ with the Pharisees. Even now, with only a few well-behaved teens at my side, thinking of how Jesus behaved in the difficult situations He faced helps remind me to keep my cool and answer with a smile.
Ponder:
Do I realize my public behavior is an opportunity to witness to the love and charity Jesus displayed?
Pray:
Dear Jesus, in challenging times and with challenging people, help me be a witness of Your love for all, at all times. Let me reflect Your patience regardless of how I am treated.
Copyright 2023 Rachel Watkins
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