What Do You Make Of Me, Lord? 

July 10 2012

Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

By Beth DeCristofaro

Thus says the LORD:  They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority; they established princes, but without my approval.  With their silver and gold they made idols for themselves, to their own destruction. (Hosea 8:4)

At the sight of the crowds, (Jesus’) heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:37)

Piety

 (O God, ) Give me wealth or poverty, give me comfort or discomfort, give me joy or sorrow... What do you want to make of me?  (St. Theresa of Avila)

Study

Not so long ago, a woman I was talking with described her feelings upon the death of her mother.  Her elderly mom had many health issues including dementia.  The family watched and mourned as a once vivacious, independent woman who devotedly raised her children alone after the early death of their father succumbed to the slow deletion of mental and physical abilities.  This woman said “my heart is broken.  But mom is free.”

I wonder if Jesus felt this way?  His heart was broken because his brothers and sisters were so troubled.  Abraham’s God saw the same aimless desire for Something Bigger in the people of Hosea’s time.  It is desire which often, in human terms, means answers such as we want:  to win, to succeed, to have the best, to overpower, to be right, to have our way.

Jesus, our Lord and our Brother’s heart was moved with pity.  His command is Love.  True love is not blind but is willingly offers pity, patience, correction, joy, food, shelter, and standing together when the heart is broken.  That is God’s desire for us.  That is God’s desire for the World.  God sent us a Shepherd to get us there. 

Action

The next time you see someone who moves you to righteous indignation or anger,  take a breath and offer that reaction to God asking that the potent energy aroused within you by those emotions be transformed into loving action.

See what God makes of you.