Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Being raised Catholic, Scripture has been a familiar part of my life since I was born. It has only been in recent years that I have begun to realize how powerful Scripture is. I have come to understand that every encounter with Scripture, whether hearing or reading or praying, is an invitation to a personal encounter God. Certainly there are common moral lessons and teachings meant for all of us, but when I am open to the possibility, God can penetrate my heart the unique way that can transform me. One thing that is certain, no matter how it happens, an encounter with God will change everything.
Today’s first reading from chapter one of Ezekiel tells of the prophet’s vision of the glory and majesty of the Lord (Ez 1:2-5, 24-28). It was during this amazing vision that Ezekiel received his prophetic call. Most of us will never encounter God in such an astounding manner, however we can imagine the tumult of emotions Ezekiel felt as a result of his encounter with God. I wonder if he was terror stricken or felt resistance well up inside? I wonder if he knew his life would never be the same.
The passage from Matthew chapter 17 begins with an encounter between Jesus and his disciples. For the second time in this Gospel, Jesus is telling his disciples of his impending suffering and death. Unlike Matthew’s earlier passage (Mt 16:22) when Peter so strongly objected to Jesus’ first revelation, this time they understand and believe him; it says “and they were overwhelmed with grief”(Mt 17:23). This is not what we would describe as a pleasant encounter! The disciples were understandably deeply grieved over the impending fate of their Master. As well, they must also have realized that as followers of Jesus they would eventually face a similar fate. In the last verses of the Gospel passage, Jesus is telling Peter, the future leader of his Church, the importance of paying the temple tax despite the apparent injustice (Mt 17:24-26). This encounter is a teaching moment for Peter on how to live in the world as a child of the Kingdom. Jesus provides payment of the tax for Peter and himself (a funny little miracle in verse 27) while making it clear that his example is meant for others entrusted to his care.
When I think of encountering God, I immediately think of truth and beauty, goodness and love. But I have often experienced something that feels less than “warm and fuzzy”. I have been made to understand how I need to change; how I fall short, how I am resistant to surrendering to God . Over and over I have been made to realize that I cannot do it on my own and that I hang onto the pesky habit of trying it alone anyway. Paradoxically, every encounter with God has the potential and intent of leading me closer to the truth and beauty, goodness and love that is God. Just as the disciples’ encounters with Jesus are often hard and painful and uncomfortable, the results were always a deeper understanding of God and self, a reckoning with Truth, a glimpse into the work involved in moving oneself and others toward goodness and beauty and love. I pray I am always granted the grace to be open to the change I surely know God has waiting for me when I encounter him. I pray I may change my way of being in the world so as live in a more continuous encounter with him.
O Holy Immortal One,
I wish to move ever closer to you.
Grant me the grace of awareness,
Grant me the grace of surrender,
Transform my way of being in the world
so as to make it a continuous encounter with you.
With the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
AMEN
-Gail Lyman