You Shall Go July 26

Piety

Let us pray: Lord, you paved the way for us to find your path. Help us to see your path and choose to follow it so we can go where you send us. May the seeds you plant in our minds, in our hearts and on our lips grow abundantly.

Help us to hear your message and spread your word in our world. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/072606.shtml

“To whomever I send you, you shall go. Whatever I command you, you shall speak.” Jeremiah 1:4

“Whoever has ears ought to hear.” Matthew 13:9

Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Joachim and St. Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Their love paved the way for Mary’s divine yes. Before Mary could say to the Angel Gabriel “thy will be done,” her parents had to welcome new love and life into the world. Before Mary could be open to her role in the salvation story, her parents had to go onward before her.

Last week, we read of Isaiah’s lips being blessed by the burning embers before he went out into the world to speak. Today, we see another image…the Lord touching the lips of the prophet Jeremiah.

These stories remind us that all true power and influence in the world comes from the Lord, not from humanity. Not from the advertisers, hucksters and flacks. Not from the PR spinners or spoilers. Not from the politicians or businesses.

Matthew’s Good News reminds us that the seed that falls on good ground bears fruit in extraordinarily large measure. In spite of some failure because of opposition or indifference, the message of Jesus about the coming of the Kingdom of God will have enormous success. Parables like this connect Christian truth to events that happen in everyday life.

The seeds planted by St. Joachim and St. Anne fell on the most fertile life in salvation history.

Action

Are we prepared to go into the world and proclaim God’s Good News today as did Jeremiah and Mary? Are you prepared to say yes?

Plant some seeds this week and watch them grow or work out in your yard or garden tending to God's creations.