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Meeting God in the Disruptions
Today’s readings for Mass are an odd pair: Amos and Matthew. The first reading from the Book of Amos is a prophetic oracle of judgment. Amos speaks in stark images of roaring lions, traps, trumpets, and disasters before concluding, “Prepare to meet your God.” The Gospel from Gospel of Matthew tells the familiar story of Jesus calming the storm at sea. One sounds like doom and the end of the world; the other is a miracle story of rescue. Yet, in their own way each asks how we respond when God disrupts our sense of security?
Amos is speaking to the prosperous Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of relative peace and economic success. The people assume that God is with them because life is good, so everything must be fine. The prophet offers a different vision. He describes a series of seemingly inevitable events. If the lion roars, that means it has prey in sight. If the city guards sound the trumpet warning, people’s natural response is to be frightened. Amos is pointing out cause and effect. Then comes the key verse: “Indeed, the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets.” (Am 3:7, NAB)
Historically, Amos preached during the reign of Jeroboam II (about 760–750 BC). It was one of Israel’s most prosperous periods. Economically trade flourished, borders expanded, and wealth increased. Spiritually and socially, however, Amos saw something very different: exploitation of the poor, corrupt courts, dishonest business practices, luxurious living by the wealthy, empty religious observance, over confidence that because Israel was God’s chosen people, disaster could never happen.
Our reading omits Amos 4:6-10, which explains the disasters: drought, failed harvests, some military defeats and more. The disasters Israel is experiencing were not random. They are prophetic wake-up calls. God has been speaking, but the people have refused to listen. There is a heartbreaking refrain that punctuates each disaster: “Yet you did not return to me.” Again and again God allowed hardship, not out of cruelty, but to call his people back. Yet they remained unmoved. Thus Amos concludes: “Prepare to meet your God.” That is not merely a threat. It is an invitation to conversion before it is too late.
“Too late” happened in In 722/721 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire conquered the Northern Kingdom. The capital was razed, many inhabitants were deported, and the kingdom ceased to exist.
Amos portrays a God who warns repeatedly before judgment falls. Judgment is not God’s first word. His first word is always an invitation to return. In that sense, Amos is remarkably consistent with the Gospel. God is patient, persistent, and merciful but he also takes human freedom seriously. If people continually refuse every invitation to conversion, there are real consequences. That makes Amos less a prophet of doom than a prophet of urgent hope: it is not too late to return but the time to return is now.
The Gospel is a different kind of wake-up call. The disciples also experience something that shatters their security. A violent storm threatens the boat but unlike Israel in Amos the disciples do exactly the right thing. They cry out: “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” (Mt 8:25). They do this with imperfect faith: “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith? (v.26). Nonetheless, they turn toward Christ. Israel ignored God’s warnings. The disciples run to Jesus.
Amos describes people who are spiritually asleep during good times. The disciples discover their weakness during bad times. Both groups encounter God through disruption but they respond differently.
Most of us don’t like interruptions and disruptions. We prefer stability, predictability and control. Yet throughout Scripture, God often speaks through interruptions. For Israel it was drought, famine, and military threats. For the disciples it was a storm. Today, our “interruptions” include illness, unemployment, family struggles, disappointment, and unexpected changes. The question we face is not whether disruptions come. The question is will the disruptions drive us away from God, or toward him?
There is one subtle connection between the readings. In Amos, God asks Israel to prepare to meet him. In the Gospel, the disciples discover that God is already in the boat with them. The God whom Amos tells Israel to prepare to meet is the same God who has entered the storm with his disciples in the person of Jesus.
We do indeed prepare to meet God. Not because he is distant, but because in Christ he has already come to meet us. The storms of life become not simply tests of endurance but opportunities to discover that the Lord is nearer than we realized. Jesus is already in the boat…so, stay in the boat.
Image credit: ChatGPT / Dalle-3, June 29, 2026 from prompt: “Please prepare a 1200×675 px image appropriate to the daily mass readings: Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12 and Matthew 8:23-27.”
Opposition to Jesus
The Sunday to come is the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The transition of Sunday gospels from the 13th to the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A) passes over Matthew 11:1-24 which can be aptly described as the warnings of Matthew 10 coming true. (Note: these verses are read on the 3rd Sunday of Advent) There will indeed be opposition within and from the people of Israel. There have been all manner of opposition alluded to in Matthew’s narrative, e.g., Herod, the devil in the wilderness temptation, persecutions mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount, scribal accusations after healing on the Sabbath, Pharisees condemning Jesus because he ate with sinners and tax collectors, and more. As this chapter unfolds, clear lines of demarcation will be evident between doubt and unbelief on one side and belief on the other.
The verses passed on between Sunday gospels are focused on doubt and unbelief (11:2–19; 11:20–24). Our gospel passage focuses on belief (11:25–30).
Opposition to Jesus is described in two sections. The encounters with doubt and unbelief are not limited to Jewish people unduly swayed by an unbelieving religious leadership (woe to the towns of Chorazin and Bethsiada in v.21; Capernaum in v.23). The doubts are also among those who perhaps know Jesus well. One very “close to home.”
Mt 11:2-19 recounts the scene in which disciples of John the Baptist come to Jesus and ask: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” John’s arrest was mentioned in 4:12, yet the full story of his imprisonment will wait until 14:3–12.
John, as his question seems to show, was perhaps having second thoughts about Jesus’ true identity. His hesitation was probably due (as v. 6 suggests referring to taking offense) to a discrepancy between his expectations for ‘the coming one’ and what he actually heard about Jesus. The ministry so far recorded does not match up with the expectations of 3:11–12, and the miracles which are its most obvious feature were not a part of the common Messianic expectation. John may also have found it difficult to accept a Jewish ‘Messiah’ who failed to fast as his own followers did (9:14 ff.), and who kept the sort of company which a careful Jew would avoid (9:9 ff.). It is perhaps that Matthew is using this pericope as a way to note a degree of opposition from within the people of Israel.
What all share in common is that each of them have been witnesses to the words and actions of Jesus which point to the kingdom of heaven. Nonetheless, the Kingdom was being attacked by people who obstinately refused its authority (11:12, 16–24). Why? Perhaps they considered themselves wise in their own eyes and rejected Jesus’ revelation. There are more passages as Matthew’s narrative unfolds: unbelief and doubt(12:1–21; 22–50) and belief passages (12:2, 10, 24; 18:6; 25:45).
John the Baptist and his followers may have doubts. Major towns of Galilee may have rejected Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of Heaven, but despite the rejection in vv.20-24, some people accept Jesus’ mission and message – and it is for this that he gives praise to God. In context these words are not a prayer of thanksgiving for a successful mission (cf. Lk 10:21-22), but are a prayerful reflection on the failure of the Galilean mission. The prayers highlight another Matthean theme: reversal. Those who are considered wise and learned are in fact not – at least in the things of the kingdom of heaven. Yet those who are childlike have understood and accepted the revelation of the kingdom in the person of Jesus.
Image credit: Pexels via Canva, CC 0
Finishing the Race
“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith” (2 Tm 4:7) So wrote St. Paul in his letter to Timothy. Eric Liddle understood that. He was China-born in 1902, the son of Scot Presbyterian missionaries, who, as was the custom, sent Eric and his sister Jennie back to Scotland for their education and formation for mission in China. Eric was an excellent student and an even better athlete. He represented Scotland in rugby, cricket, and track. Eric’s sister Jennie worried he was too busy in athletics and was losing focus, being carried away by the glory and achievements of the sports fields and was losing attention and concern for their family mission in China. Eric told her: “I believe that God made me for a purpose… (the mission), but He also made me fast, and when I run, I feel His pleasure.” Fast he was. Eric Liddle was the 400 m gold medalist in the 1924 Olympic games in Paris.
“God made me for a purpose.” After the games, Eric returned to China where he served the Christian missions for 20 years. In 1937 the Japanese invaded China and soon Eric, his wife and children were interned in a prison camp. During the war there was a formal exchange of prisoners between Japan and Britain. Because of his fame, Eric and his family were on the list. His wife and family were sent to Canada, but God has made Eric for a purpose. He gave up his place to a pregnant woman and stayed behind as a prisoner of war. He died just before the end of the war in 1945. Eric Liddle competed well, finished the race and kept the faith. God made him for a purpose.
The early Church learned very quickly that following Jesus did not exempt them from ridicule, dismissal or harm. Living a Christian Life gave no protection against earthly adversity. With the memory of Resurrection, Ascension and Pentecost still fresh, the Apostles were called before the Sanhedrin, then James was beheaded. Peter, their leader, was jailed.
Peter was made for a purpose. A fisherman handed the keys to the kingdom of God. From that heady moment, Peter went on to deny our Lord. Only later, by the shore of the Galilee to be restored in love by the risen Christ. Peter continued the race. The Angel of the Lord freed Peter from Prison – and left him alone in the dark alley behind the jail – the race wasn’t over .. Peter continued to keep the faith. Peter was made for a purpose – witness and missionary…. and fisherman. Peter competed well, finished the race and kept the faith.
Paul was made for a purpose. A Pharisee trained to defend his Jewish traditions; commissioned to arrest the renegade Christians and bring them back in chains. Saul the Destroyer converted to Paul the Apostle in the aftermath of the Damascus road incident. Paul was made for a purpose – Apostles to the Gentiles.
Paul competed well, but not always successfully. Along with his band of disciples, Paul endured much affliction: driven out of towns; capsized in the Mediterranean Sea; robbed and beaten by highway marauders; thrashed by local governments; imprisoned and threatened with death. Still, he planted churches across the eastern Mediterranean and Rome beckoned. Paul explained the gospel that Peter proclaimed. He explained and taught the implications of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul was made for a purpose – teacher and missionary … and tent maker. Paul competed well, finished the race and kept the faith.
What about you and I…. we are still in the race. Have we competed well so far? Have we kept the faith? The race is still on. There are days I share Jeannie Liddle’s concerns – are we too busy and distracted to keep our eye on the prize. We worry about the transient things, things that do not last. But we were made for a purpose – just like Eric Liddle, St Peter and St Paul. It is a purpose driven life; a gospel-driven life.
So… what race are you running? If it is a race that does not allow you to keep the faith at work, at school, at home…you are in the wrong race. If it is a race that imprisons your Christian faith. You are in the wrong race. If it is a race that silences your voice, chokes off your witness, and sells short your purpose. You are in the wrong race. You won’t finish.
Where do you spend your energy? What do you value? These are hints about the race you have entered. Tent maker, fisherman, teacher, preacher, home maker, office worker, student, and more – each called to mission.
What we celebrate this day in the lives of Sts. Peter and Paul – and all the saints of God – people like Eric Liddle – is that they found the purpose worth their energies. It is a purpose driven life; a gospel-driven life?
At the end of days, I hope that others will say of us “They competed well, finished the race and kept the faith.”
Amen.
Image credit: Icon from “Christ Between Saints Peter and Paul” | Pietro Lorenzetti, ca. 1320 | Ferens Art Gallery, Hull England \ PD-US
They made known the Good News
Today is the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul. Most of the apostles and lots of saints have their own feast day, but how about the two most famous saints of the early church? There is February 22nd in which the Church celebrates the “Chair of Peter” the sign that Peter was the first among the apostles and the one designated to lead the early Church after Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. But there is no “Feast of St. Peter.”
St. Paul, although not one of the Twelve, was an Apostle commissioned by Jesus. There is the January 25th celebration of “The Conversion of St. Paul” which commemorates the Damascus Road episode described in Acts of the Apostles: 9:1-31, 22:1-22, and 26:9-24. It is the scene made famous by the “Conversion on the Way to Damascus” painting by Caravaggio. But there is no “Feast of St. Paul.”
The two leading saints of the early Church are celebrated together in the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul as they are the founders of the See of Rome, through their preaching, ministry and martyrdom there. This celebration is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul and is observed on June 29th – without declaring that to be the day of their deaths. St. Augustine of Hippo (late 4th century) says in his Sermon 295: “One day is assigned for the celebration of the martyrdom of the two apostles. But those two were one. Although their martyrdom occurred on different days, they were one.” Thus it is clear that the celebration is of ancient origin.
Clearly from the earliest days, the Church has recognized them jointly. As St. Augustine continued in his Sermon, “And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.” Saints Peter and Paul – each in their own unique way – made the choice, decided for Christ, and set out on mission to make the Good News known to the world. 2,000 years later we remember and honor them.
Icon from “Christ Between Saints Peter and Paul” | Pietro Lorenzetti, ca. 1320 | Ferens Art Gallery, Hull England | PD-US
Apostles Together
Most of the apostles and lots of saints have their own feast day, but how about the two most famous saints of the early church? There is February 22nd in which the Church celebrates the “Chair of Peter” the sign that Peter was the first among the apostles and the one designated to lead the early Church after Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. But there is no “Feast of St. Peter.”
St. Paul, although not one of the Twelve, was an Apostle commissioned by Jesus. There is the January 25th celebration of “The Conversion of St. Paul” which commemorates the Damascus Road episode described in Acts of the Apostles: 9:1-31, 22:1-22, and 26:9-24. It is the scene made famous by the “Conversion on the Way to Damascus” painting by Caravaggio. But there is no “Feast of St. Paul.”
The two leading saints of the early Church are celebrated together in the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul as they are the founders of the See of Rome, through their preaching, ministry and martyrdom there. This celebration is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul and is observed on June 29th – without declaring that to be the day of their deaths. St. Augustine of Hippo (late 4th century) says in his Sermon 295: “One day is assigned for the celebration of the martyrdom of the two apostles. But those two were one. Although their martyrdom occurred on different days, they were one.” Thus it is clear that the celebration is of ancient origin.
Clearly from the earliest days, the Church has recognized them jointly. As St. Augustine continued in his Sermon, “And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.” Saints Peter and Paul – each in their own unique way – made the choice, decided for Christ, and set out on mission to make the Good News known to the world. 2,000 years later we remember and honor them.
Most of the apostles and lots of saints have their own feast day, but how about the two most famous saints of the early church? There is February 22nd in which the Church celebrates the “Chair of Peter” the sign that Peter was the first among the apostles and the one designated to lead the early Church after Jesus’ Resurrection and Ascension. But there is no “Feast of St. Peter.”
St. Paul, although not one of the Twelve, was an Apostle commissioned by Jesus. There is the January 25th celebration of “The Conversion of St. Paul” which commemorates the Damascus Road episode described in Acts of the Apostles: 9:1-31, 22:1-22, and 26:9-24. It is the scene made famous by the “Conversion on the Way to Damascus” painting by Caravaggio. But there is no “Feast of St. Paul.”
The two leading saints of the early Church are celebrated together in the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul as they are the founders of the See of Rome, through their preaching, ministry and martyrdom there. This celebration is a liturgical feast in honor of the martyrdom in Rome of the apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul and is observed on June 29th – without declaring that to be the day of their deaths. St. Augustine of Hippo (late 4th century) says in his Sermon 295: “One day is assigned for the celebration of the martyrdom of the two apostles. But those two were one. Although their martyrdom occurred on different days, they were one.” Thus it is clear that the celebration is of ancient origin.
Clearly from the earliest days, the Church has recognized them jointly. As St. Augustine continued in his Sermon, “And so we celebrate this day made holy for us by the apostles’ blood. Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labors, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.” Saints Peter and Paul – each in their own unique way – made the choice, decided for Christ, and set out on mission to make the Good News known to the world. 2,000 years later we remember and honor them.
Icon from “Christ Between Saints Peter and Paul” | Pietro Lorenzetti, ca. 1320 | Ferens Art Gallery, Hull England
A New Phase
The Sunday to come is the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time in Liturgical Year A. Since the middle of chapter 4 we have been witnesses to how Jesus faithfully carries out his commission from the Father. On some occasions Jesus’ words carried the message: Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7) or the Missionary Discourse (Mt 10). At other times the message was conveyed via actions (Mt 8-9).
Throughout Matthew 10 Jesus has been preparing his disciples for mission. He commissioned the Twelve for the special role in the mission. He instructed them to remain within the borders of Galilee, and warned them about the opposition they would experience from family, religious leaders, and secular rulers – yet he urged them to not be afraid. Jesus also gave them a sense of the reward and promises to those who believed and were faithful in their endeavors of evangelization. “When Jesus finished giving these commands to his twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.” (Mt 11:1)
This marks a transition from the Missionary Discourse into a new section of Matthew’s narrative. It also serves as a “geographical marker” relocating Jesus to a new place, a literary device Matthew also employs to indicate a shift to a new section. We are entering a new phase in Jesus’ mission to “the lost sheep of Israel.” The opening verse describes the mission of teaching and preaching and serves as a reasonable summary of Jesus’ mission. Interestingly it only describes Jesus in mission. After an entire chapter dedicated to the preparation of the Twelve, their efforts are not mentioned. We are not told anything about what happened during their mission or if they even went. There is no mention of a return or any reports of success or failure. Matthew 12 indicates that they are still traveling with Jesus. The only time we hear of any of the disciples operating independently of Jesus is in 17:16, where it was not a success. It will be only after Jesus’ resurrection (28:19–20) that Matthew’s narrative indicates the Twelve and other disciples will operate on their own in a consistent manner.
Image credit: Pexels via Canva, CC 0
The Little Ones
42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple—amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
Jesus emphasizes the importance of even the smallest act of compassion by mentioning the offering of a cup of cold water. Water is essential for sustenance and refreshment, especially in a hot climate, and providing a cup of cold water to someone in need can alleviate their discomfort and signify care and concern. By using this example, Jesus highlights that even the most seemingly insignificant act of kindness can have profound significance in the eyes of God.
The expression “because he is a disciple” indicates that the act of providing assistance is specifically tied to the discipleship of Jesus. It implies that when individuals extend support to those who are followers of Christ, they are not only aiding their physical needs but also affirming and supporting their commitment to Jesus and his teachings.
Jesus follows the statement with the phrase “he will surely not lose his reward,” suggesting that God will not overlook or forget the kindness shown to those who are considered “little ones.” It implies that such acts will be rewarded, either in this life or in the life to come. This verse affirms the belief that God acknowledges and values acts of compassion and generosity, promising a spiritual or divine recompense for those who engage in them.
There is sometimes a tendency to read “little ones” as to imagine children. But this is (apart from 18:6-14) a manner is which Jesus identified the disciples. France (415-6) writes: “Compare also the designation of true disciples as ‘little children’ in contrast with the ‘wise and intelligent’ in 11:25. So here there is no indication of a reference to children as such (though the saying would of course be applicable to a child no less than to an adult) or to any special sub-group; all disciples are ‘little ones.’ Those who go out to represent Jesus in a hostile society have no status, and may easily be pushed aside. It is only when people recognize the special significance of these ‘little ones’ through their relationship to Jesus and to ‘the one who sent him’ that they are willing to take them seriously, and so to welcome them with acts of basic hospitality. The cup of cold water is an essential though inexpensive provision in a hot climate, an act of expected hospitality as well as of kindness. It is not much, but even that little (‘just one,’ representing monon, ‘only,’ emphasizes how little it is), because of the attitude it represents, is enough to bring the reward.”
Image credit: Sermon on the Mount (1877) by Carl Heinrich Bloch, Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle, Public Domain
Prophets and the Righteous
41 Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man’s reward.
In this verse, Jesus outlines the significance and benefits of receiving and supporting individuals who are considered prophets and righteous men. The term “prophet” refers to someone who receives divine revelations and communicates God’s messages to the people. In 5:11-12, Jesus has already connected the disciples in their suffering and persecution to “the prophets who were before you.”
A “righteous man” denotes a person who lives in accordance with God’s commands and exhibits moral uprightness. In Mt 13:17; 23:29 “prophets” and “righteous people” will again be paired as a way of speaking of the godly, there with reference to the period before Jesus’ coming.
The significance goes beyond simple hospitality; it encompasses a genuine acceptance and recognition of the prophet or righteous person and their message. By embracing and supporting them, individuals align themselves with the divine truth and purpose that these individuals represent. This act of reception is an acknowledgment of their authority and righteousness. The benefit is that the reception results in a reward associated with the prophet (or righteous man). Similarly, “whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous” indicates that those who receive and support a righteous individual will be rewarded in accordance with the righteousness of that person. The nature of this reward is not explicitly defined in the verse, but it signifies a spiritual or divine recompense. It implies that by honoring and supporting individuals who have a close relationship with God and embody righteousness, one becomes a participant in their spiritual blessings and receives a share in the rewards associated with their mission.
Image credit: Sermon on the Mount (1877) by Carl Heinrich Bloch, Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle, Public Domain
Receiving the one sent
The dialog shifts from a focus on the disciples on a mission, to those they encounter on the way. No doubt they have already met people along the way who enthusiastically greeted Jesus, and were willing to offer support and shelter to the disciples. They are perhaps not committed to the more rigorous demands of discipleship, but there is a positive attitude to the disciples and their mission. Jesus is happy to recognize this less committed level of following him as good and true, and which deserves and will receive its reward.
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
These verses are not simply a commentary on hospitality. Underlying such sayings, with their repeated implied reference to receiving the one being “sent”, is the principle later enshrined in the Jewish legal institution of the šälîaḥ, the “one sent,” an ambassador or representative who was understood to have the full authority of the one who sent them. It is important to note that the appointment of a šälîaḥ must adhere to certain legal requirements and principles within Jewish law. The principal must give explicit authorization to the šälîaḥ, specifying the scope and limits of their agency. Additionally, the šälîaḥ must act faithfully and in the best interests of the principal, avoiding any conflicts of interest or unauthorized actions. This underpins the commissioning of the Twelve and the instructions Jesus has been giving them in Matthew’s Missionary Discourse.
It is those who recognize such authority in the disciples who will welcome them, just as it is those who recognize Jesus as God’s representative who will welcome him. The unspoken corollary (but spelled out in Luke 10:16) is that those who reject the disciples on their mission are guilty of a far graver fault than merely lack of hospitality to a fellow human being; they are rejecting God. (France, 413)
Image credit: Sermon on the Mount (1877) by Carl Heinrich Bloch, Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle, Public Domain
Beneath the Surface
Today we celebrate the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. One of the striking things about today’s celebration is that, although we celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist, almost nothing dramatic happens apart from Zachariah being again able to speak. Otherwise, there are no miracles visible to the crowd. There is no theophany or voice from Heaven. The skies do not fold back to reveal the glory of God. Instead, there is simply the birth of a child.
To the neighbors and relatives gathered around Zechariah and Elizabeth, it was certainly an occasion for joy. They recognized God’s mercy in giving a son to an elderly couple who had long since given up hope of having children. But they could not possibly have known what God was preparing. They saw a child. God saw the prophet who would prepare the way for his Son.
Turn the page and … and nothing. Today’s Gospel ends with a sentence that covers nearly thirty years in just a few words: “The child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (Lk 1:80) Thirty years…summarized in one sentence. Why? Because those years were years of preparation. John’s public ministry would last only a short time. But before he ever preached a sermon or baptized a single person, God was quietly shaping him for the mission that lay ahead. The same quiet preparation is reflected in the first reading from Isaiah: ‘The LORD called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name.” (Is 49:1)
Long before Isaiah spoke as a prophet, long before John preached in the wilderness, long before Jesus began his public ministry, God was already at work. That is often how God works. We usually notice God in the extraordinary moments—the answered prayer, the unexpected blessing, the turning point in our lives. But today’s feast reminds us that God is often doing his greatest work long before we recognize it.
He is preparing tomorrow while we are living today.
Most of our lives are not lived in dramatic moments. Most of life consists of ordinary days. Parents raising children. Students studying. People going to work. Someone caring for an aging spouse. A person faithfully coming to daily Mass. Someone quietly praying for a son or daughter who has wandered from the faith. Day after day, nothing seems remarkable. And yet God is at work.
Perhaps we underestimate what God can accomplish through ordinary faithfulness because we are too focused on immediate results. A teacher may never know how a word of encouragement changed a student’s life. A parent may not see the fruits of years of love and sacrifice until much later. We priests may never know how one homily, one confession, or one hospital visit strengthened someone’s faith. That is why today’s feast invites us to trust.
Trust that our prayers are not wasted. Trust that acts of kindness matter. Trust that the habits of faith we practice today are preparing us for what God will ask of us tomorrow.
John did not suddenly become the great prophet out there on the Jordan. God had been preparing him all along. The same is true for us. These ordinary days matter – all the routine, everyday mundane things matter if we trust and persevere in faith. There, beneath the surface, God is often accomplishing his greatest work. Maybe we see the fulfillment; maybe not.
One day, John would point to Jesus and say, “Behold, the Lamb of God. But before he could point others to Christ, God spent years preparing John’s own heart. Perhaps that is what God is doing in us right now. We may not yet know why he is asking us to be patient, or faithful, or persevering. We may not yet see what lies ahead. But we can trust that every day lived with faith becomes part of God’s larger plan.
We thank God for the extraordinary moments of our lives, but let us remember to thank Him for the ordinary ones, too. It is in the ordinary that God is preparing something extraordinary. He is preparing tomorrow…while we are faithfully living today.
Amen.
Image credit: Mosaic in the Baptistry of the Duomo in Florence, Italy. Photograph by Sailko – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41892066
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