Hear My Word and Be My Sister

Hear My Word and Be My Sister

September 25, 2012

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time

By Beth DeCristofaro

All the ways of a man may be right in his own eyes, but it is the LORD who proves hearts.
To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.  (Proverbs 21:2-3)

He said to them in reply, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it."  (Luke 8:21)

Piety

May the light of God

illumine the heart of my soul.

May the flame of Christ

kindle me to love.

May the fire of the Spirit

free me to live

this day, tonight and for ever.

            J. Philip Newell (from Celtic Benediction: Morning and Night Prayer)

Study

I spent my school years in the Culmore area of Fairfax County.  We lived on Leesburg Pike one block and a cross street away from St. Anthony’s Parish.  You couldn’t pick a better spot for a Catholic family with six children, due to the ease of getting to church and school.  In fact, rain or shine, snow or sleet, hailstorms or typhoons my dad would line us up, bundled like little nerf kids and down the street we would go.

One February we actually had to walk on the highway because the snow was so deep the sidewalks were impassible.  It was the first time I heard my mom and dad disputing whether to attend Mass or not on a holy day.  I think it was St. Blaise and I actually heard mom say “Alex, I’m not sure we should go out.”  As we rounded the corner heading for church, the rectory door flew open and one of the priests shouted out “Kathy, Alex, where the --- are you going?”  We had our blessings right there in the rectory living room as there was no power at church so no Mass!

My mom and dad were just mom and dad.  Very loving but also at times short-tempered, quite strict and (to a teenager) less-than-understanding as we wanted to try our wings in adventuresome behaviors.  Jesus would have said, “Well done, my brother, my sister” to my just ordinary parents. 

Action

Proverb’s foretold how to act on the Word of God.   Are there ways that I am acting God-like instead of as Jesus’ sister or brother?  I place my heart before God.   How  can I begin again to hear His Word and Act on it?