Friday.blog
Catholic Calendar for Friday, January 28, 2005
Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
St. Thomas Aquinas, religious, priest, doctor of the Church
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hebrews 10:32-39
Psalm 37:3-6,23-24,39-40
Mark 4:26-34
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
"He spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. . ."
Today we hear two of the parables Jesus used to deliver his teachings. And we hear the point of speaking in parables. Parables, while beautiful, succinct, and pointed, are not there merely to show that Jesus was a profound poet. They are there because this was the language people understood. When He spoke this way, people could get the message.
So it should be also when we act for Jesus. We should speak in a way that addresses the needs and the understanding of our audience. Sometimes that means we do not speak at all, but we silently and joyfully live out our Christian Witness. We can more profoundly affect some people by showing them the peace and the joy that comes from living in union with God.
On the other hand, some people need words, some need challenged, some need persuaded, some need convinced, and some need encouraged. Person by person we may not know what our words need to do. However, the Holy Spirit does. And so before we speak, if ever so briefly, we should ask the Holy Spirit to give us the words to say or the person to say them. Just as God sent Aaron with Moses to speak with Pharaoh, perhaps we are merely the instruments of introduction--that we do not need to sow the seed, but that is left to another.
Whatever the circumstances may be, whenever we speak or act, it should be with a small prayer that our speech or actions call others to worship the God we know and adore. Each day we should pray to learn to speak the word to them as they are able to understand it.
- JuandelaCruz
(sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)
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