There is a still, small voice in the depths of me, Lord, which speaks of you.

Sunday 31st August, 2008
22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. Jeremiah 20:7-9
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God—Ps 62(63):2-6, 8-9
Romans 12:1-2
Matthew 16:21-27

Readings: Text

Like Jeremiah, I cannot resist your attraction, your call in the inmost part of myself. No matter how I try to distract myself from your insistent invitation of love, I can never stop you speaking it.

We are strange people. You invite us to life, and deep in our hearts we want to say yes, yet, like Peter, we want to decide how the drama will be played out. We have some strange notion that we know the way better than you. Perhaps it’s not surprising that we wonder about the wisdom of your voice within us, when you say that we have to lose our life to save it.

What a strange thing to say! And yet you put yourself behind your word. You didn’t seek to save your life but went to the cross trusting that the Father would raise you to life—and he did.

We have your promise that you are with us no matter what. Stay near, Lord, the way is hard; keep whispering your invitation and encouragement. We do want to thirst and long for you.

We heard this ourselves when we were with him.

Wednesday 6th August, 2008
Transfiguration. Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14.The Lord is king, the most high over all the earth—Ps 96(97):1-2, 5-6, 9. 2 Peter 1:16-19. Matthew 17:1-9.

Readings: Text

Peter is reaffirming the experience he and James and John had on the mountain. He was overwhelmed by what he saw and heard. The Father’s words were the same Jesus’ friends had heard at his baptism, as Jesus began his public ministry.

Peter wants us all to hear those words, to increase our faith in Jesus, to understand a little better that our God is all-powerful, all-loving, all-forgiving to each of us.

Daniel’s prophetic writing shows how difficult it is to express in words the munificence that is God’s. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

‘Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.’

Tuesday 5th August, 2008

St Dominic
Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory—Ps 101(102):16-21, 29, 22-23
Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14

Readings: Text

German poet Goethe tells us: ‘Things that matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least’. Jesus, in his encounter with these Pharisees, is not looking to overturn tradition or ritual for the sake of doing so, but asks his disciples to question whether it is of the Father. Jesus is telling us that the work and goodness of God should not be at the mercy of anything else.

God has granted us many things in creation, worship and relationship. But we are always called to discern. Do I engage in those things that matter the least? Things which are not of God?

Lord Jesus, grant me the wisdom to know what is of you, and the courage to challenge that which is not.