Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Today’s text

Matthew 10:24-25

[Jesus said:] Disciple is not superior to teacher, nor slave to master. It is enough for disciple to grow to be like teacher, and slave like master. If they have called the master of the house "Beelzebul", how much more the members of his household?

Prayer

Your words are less about your goodness, Jesus, than about your persecution. You revealed the beauty of the kingdom, yet many rejected and denounced you.

We can never hope to shine so clearly as you, transparent to the Eternal Mystery of God. We look at you and savor what we see, a love that shines on just and unjust alike, assuring us that, yes, there is plenty here for us, too.

I pray to be a window on the grace that holds me, shining with the light that fills you. And this you promise.

But you also promise, or shall I say ‘warn of,’ something far tougher to take. As you were rejected so shall we be. You send us on a journey of revelation in which we reveal the goodness of your face in acts of mercy and healing, in meekness and forgiveness, in prayer for enemies and making peace with our accusers, in accepted suffering and the joy of casting every care on you.

But our journey of witness reveals you also to our own souls as we come to know your sufficiency amid our insufficiency, our lack, our wants, our fears.

You are there and ever will be, especially when we know the rejections than came also to you.

Pr. David L. Miller