August 12, 2011
Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
“I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.” (Joshua 24:13)
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)
(Jesus said to the disciples :) “Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.” (Matthew 19:12)
Piety
Almighty, true and incomparable God, You are present in all things, yet in no way limited by them. You remain unaffected by place, untouched by time, unperturbed by years, and undeceived by words. You are not subject to birth and in no need of protection. You are beyond all corruption, above all change, immutable by nature. You live in unapproachable light and are invisible, yet You are known to all those who seek You with hope and love. You are the God of Israel, and of all who hope in Christ. (Found at Catholic Online)
Study
How great is our God!
In today’s first reading, Joshua provides a litany of the ways God blessed the tribes of Israel, starting with Abraham, moving through the exodus and into Canaan. The opening of the reading is almost like an action-adventure movie. Then Joshua gets to the point:
“I gave you a land that you had not tilled and cities that you had not built, to dwell in; you have eaten of vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.”
The Israelites hadn’t earned any of the land, cities, vineyards, or olive groves they enjoyed. And Joshua’s not bragging on himself. In battle after battle, he’d exhibited his faith in God. He knew where the credit belonged.
Psalm 136 is in the same vein, almost a love song to God. The psalmist reminds us of God’s affection and mercy and goodness and power, all everlasting, all ours for the asking—because He loves us, even though we, like the Israelites, haven’t done anything to earn it. Because we can’t earn it. And we can’t un-earn it. That crazy God is going to love us, no matter what. And so, as Jesus counseled regarding those who renounced marriage for the Kingdom’s sake, if we can accept that unconditional love, we ought to accept it—and pass it on.
Action
Write a love letter to God, thanking Him for all the gifts He provided today.
