Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
June 25, 2011
But the LORD said to Abraham: "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I really bear a child, old as I am?' Is anything too marvelous for the LORD to do? At the appointed time, about this time next year, I will return to you, and Sarah will have a son." Genesis 18:13-14
Jesus entered the house of Peter, and saw his mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, the fever left her, and she rose and waited on him. Matthew 8:14-15
Piety
"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. For he has looked upon his handmaid's lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. Luke 1:46-49
Study
Lessons from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament today give us cause to pause and reflect not only upon the power of the Lord to do great and marvelous things. But also, in the light of this loving power, what is OUR ATTITUDE?
As an old woman, Sarah was filled more with doubt about the possibility of having a son than was the your Nazorean virgin proclaiming the greatness of the Lord, the powerful Roman centurion or the ill mother-in-law of St. Peter.
Action
If we really and truly believe that the Lord can do great things, especially for his lowly servants, then our belief must color our world and our attitude. Can you set aside your skepticism for an hour, a day or a week and assume the positive attitude embodied in the believers who knew Jesus first and best? Such an attitude must then be reflected in our actions just like the service provided by Peter's mother-in-law.
