The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but the dwelling of the just he blesses. (Proverbs 3:33)
To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away. (Luke 8:18)
Piety
In the words of the hymn, O Lord, take me: “beyond my hopes beyond my dreams, from death into life." Let me be a small lamp showing your light today, O Lord. May I keep your lamp burning bright in my own heart and on those around me. Thank you for the bright blessing that is my life. May I share the blessing with your world. Amen.
Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/092506.shtml
Jesus charges his followers to heed and share God’s Word. It is a continuation of the commands from the Old Testament. Today, it feels a bit like a mixed message: we are taught not to bring attention to ourselves when we act generously or kindly. But this is a bit different.
Take the image of the lamp which one places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light. (Luke 8:16) God’s star, which we call the Sun, was placed to give life-sustaining light and warmth indiscriminately to the entire earth. Only when it reaches an obstacle is its light obscured – there is shadow. As a kid, I was told that if you shine a flashlight up, it will go out into space perhaps forever (at least in our human understanding) until it hits an object. Even light years away, although the light particles and waves will be scattered too completely for eyes to perceive, that light continues. And then, of course, light fights back the frightening corners of darkness in a child’s bedroom or on a deserted, nighttime street.
Jesus asks us to listen carefully, heed, follow God’s word and share it like illumination. We must be aware and eliminate barriers to God’s word within our own hearts which might also impede others. It is God’s light and love in abundance and we are invited to be abundant in partaking of it and generous in sharing it without discrimination.
The footnote from the New American Bible re: Luke 16-17 says that “a generous and persevering response to the word of God leads to a still more perfect response to the word.” http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/luke/luke8.htm And we have been taught: practice makes perfect (or nearly so in golf). Our three-legged tripod of Piety, Study and Action gives us practice tools. They are tools helping us shine the light which is, in reality, Christ’s light, God’s word, onto the world.
If we listen with ears of faith, the Spirit will reside in us. If we are being a light to the world, the Spirit will do for us. To those who have been given much faith and love and freely impart them, more will be given. To those who choose to hold back, faith and love will become blocked, withered, removed.
Action
Take a good look at the Group Reunion format. Which of the areas is weak for you? Pay special attention to it and make a special effort to “exercise” that area this week. Stoke up that lantern oil and shine.
DeColores
Beth DeCristofaro
No comments:
Post a Comment