Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary
Time
By
Beth DeCristofaro
Thus
it came to pass: when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain, he was mindful of
Abraham by sending Lot away from the upheaval by which God overthrew the cities
where Lot had been living. (Genesis 19:29)
They
came and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” He said to them,
“Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the
winds and the sea, and there was great calm.
(Matthew 8:25-26)
Piety
Some
days it seems like I am being tossed on a boat in the darkness, Jesus. Part of
me wants to be saved but another part wants to run from you. I'm not always
proud of how I lead my life and sometimes I am afraid to be alone with you.
Guide me through this darkness, please.
Study
The authors of these Books not only
transcribed the Word but they were keen observers of human nature. In Lot’s sons-in-law I recognize my
skepticism of the seriousness of choices.
Surely buying from discount shops does not mean that I condone
mistreatment of garment workers in Bangladesh or on Saipan. Lot’s wife’s looking back reminds me of how I
can fool myself into thinking that I am in charge rather than accept that life
actually does happen. I can choose to
let God lead or delude myself that looking away is taking control. In Lot I recognize my certainty that I can
bargain with God or others and, eventually, get my way. The disciples hold God responsible for
answering their plight just as I often do.
We fail to recognize the calm sureness of God’s presence in the person
of Jesus serenely asleep, unperturbed in the face of chaos.
Action
The waves of my life will often threaten to
swamp my boat. What if the very worst
happens? God is there in my coming and
in my going. God is there for the skeptics,
the control freaks, the doubters even those who flee if we but open to that
dynamic, unreserved and undeserved love God pours out.
There are indeed days, however, when I feel
that I am channeling the disciples’ fear rather than living the peace of “If
God is for us who can be against.” In
what way do you get in God’s way? Ask
for guidance through the darkness which itself might be the awesome power of
God breaking through.
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