dependence

Opening Prayer: O Christ Jesus, when all is darkness and we feel our weakness and helplessness, give us the sense of your presence, your love, and your strength.  Help us to have perfect trust in your protecting love and strengthening power, so that nothing may frighten or worry us, for, living close to you, we shall see your hand, your purpose, your will through all things. ~St. Ignatius

Scripture: Matthew 17:24-27

Journal: Where and how do the Scriptures for today intersect with what’s going on in your life and heart?

Reflection: There are days when, for some unknown reason, I start feeling pretty insignificant.  I guess it’s because I start looking around and comparing myself to those who seem to be doing great things and having a big impact in the world and it causes me to feel pretty discouraged about my life and my impact.  I’m guessing—and hoping—that I am not the only one in this boat.  Anyway, whoever said that “comparison is the thief of joy” certainly wasn’t kidding.

     That’s where the Scriptures for today seem to intersect with what’s going on deep in my heart and soul.  It doesn’t really have anything to do with temple taxes or bizarre fishing tales.  It has more to do with trust and provision.  It has more to do with caring more about how God feels about me than how the world at large feels about me.  It has more to do with the fact that God calls me to be faithful, rather than to be impressive.  He calls me to be faithful to both who I am and what he has called me to do—nothing more and nothing less.  I cannot manufacture or produce anything of value on my own, no matter how hard I try.  He just calls me to go down to the sea—whatever that may look like for me—and cast a hook.  The rest is up to him.  He will give me exactly what I need—both from him and for him—for the day and the demands ahead.  My job is just to be grateful for, and amazed by, what came out of that little fish’s mouth.

Prayer

Closing Prayer: My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. ~Thomas Merton