Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
A friend of mine and I were talking recently and he has been suffering from health issues. On this occasion, his wife was present but just listening. My friend looked at his wife and smiled and then began to cry. I looked at him as if asking what he what are you feeling. He said, “I do not deserve the love and dedication this woman has for me.” His wife moved close and hugged him. I asked my friend, “When you all took vows did you promise to love and care in sickness and health?” They both responded, “Yes.”
God’s vow to the people of the covenant was that God would love and provide for the people of Israel in good times and bad. The trouble was the people of Israel weren’t feeling the love and lost sight of what God was doing for them. Their blindness landed them in exile. God’s love and vision for them did not fail. Thus God sent King Darius to help provide so that the people of the covenant could rebuild the house of God. And while the Israelites worked to rebuild the temple, God worked with them, in them and through them. In the process not only was the building dedicated but so were the people.
In the gospel, we encounter Jesus with his disciples, when his family comes to visit. Upon hearing of their arrival Jesus responds, "My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it." Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there both to hear the Word of God and to continue acting on God’s Word. Mary had built the house of God in her own home. From that home, Jesus heard the word of God and acted on it. In today’s word, we too are being called to be a home, to be a temple where God dwells.
- Deacon Michael Montgomery
(Today we also have a reflection from Chris Nieport)