The Lord has given us words. These words lead us back to His presence, to the truth about Him, and why we are here. The words of revelation have an incredible power to bring us back to the path of truth and salvation. To follow where the words lead us force us to let go of the thoughts, practices, or words that are incompatible but have become part of our way of life. In all of this, in the pain of our conscience, the guilt and the shame, God reaches out gently and lovingly. His words purify, clarify, and give us the space to respond freely. Our response to these words is an act both inspired by and carried by grace. Grace allows the disciples of Christ to respond humbly and confidently in times of persecution. Those who are concerned about preserving their human and earthly life at all costs, who see death as the ultimate evil, are unable to cooperate with the consoling grace of God.
Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Apostles are sent to bring peace. Peace only finds a place in a home where people who are truly listening dwell. Who is worthy of peace? Who is worthy of the Gospel? The one who receives humbly whoever the Lord sends them. The attitude of a humble servant who is able to listen and learn from the messengers of God will earn him also the gift of peace. We don’t need to be overly worried or prepared ahead of time if we rely on God’s Providence. Prudence requires us to think ahead, but never so well and so far that God would only be getting in the way. Coming to rely fully on God’s Providence will increase within us the gift of sacred peace. The world cannot give this peace, because the world only produces an incomplete and superficial version. The peace of the world is the calm between storms; the peace of Christ is given in the midst of storms: His Providence will only be made more perfect by the storm.
Saint Benedict, abbot
Saint Jerome points out an important fact about today’s Gospel. Judas, one of the twelve, was also granted the power to work miracles in Jesus’ name. We don’t know if he actually performed any miracles, but it is quite probable that he did. He was probably just as involved in the ministry of healing and deliverance as the other eleven chosen and sent by Jesus. This serves to rectify an important misconception about miracle-workers: their ability to work miracles is neither the evidence of their moral rectitude nor the reason we should listen to what they have to say. If some have the gift of healing and others do not, it is not a way to measure holiness. Special gifts are not a reflection of a special love by God for an individual, or some kind of reward system. They are given by God for the service and edification of the Church – if we use them well as good stewards we will be honored, if we squander them selfishly we will enter the kingdom of heaven and the talent will be taken away from us. But Judas’ greatest failure was not his betrayal of Jesus, it was his despair. St. Peter denied Jesus even after His teaching, “Whoever denies me before men, I will deny before my heavenly Father.” St. Peter did not lose hope and in his heart sought reconciliation and a greater humility to cooperate with God’s grace.