Message of 7-31-17

Published: Mon, 07/31/17

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Monday: July 31, 2017
Message of the Day
"Let us love God, but with the strength of our arms, in the sweat of our brow."
- St. Vincent de Paul

"Without work it is impossible to have fun."
- St. Thomas Aquinas

(It is good to work, even to work hard. Spend yourself for God this day, and have some fun while you're at it.)
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Readings of the Day
EX 32:15-24, 30-34;   PS 106:19-20, 21-22, 23

MT 13:31-35

Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed
that a person took and sowed in a field.
It is the smallest of all the seeds,
yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.
It becomes a large bush,
and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches."

He spoke to them another parable.
"The Kingdom of heaven is like yeast
that a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flour
until the whole batch was leavened."

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.
He spoke to them only in parables, 
to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:

I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world.

USCCB lectionary
Reflection on the Scripture
"What did this people ever do to you that you should lead them into so grave a sin?" —Exodus 32:21
 
Aaron's leadership style was to satisfy the people. When the people approached him with a problem, Aaron didn't consider God's wishes. Instead, he tried to satisfy the people's desires. Not succeeding, he simply "let the people run wild" (Ex 32:25). Under Aaron's weak "leadership," sinfulness, chaos, and confusion reigned instead of godly order (see 1 Cor 14:33, 40).
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Diotrephes, an early Christian leader, "enjoyed" being a Church leader (see 3 Jn 9). He loved to dominate (3 Jn 9, RNAB). His leadership style apparently consisted in trying to satisfy himself (see 3 Jn 9, RSV-CE). Diotrephes is not presented in Scripture as seeking to determine God's wishes. Instead, he arbitrarily refused to acknowledge Church authority established by God and expelled those who wished to submit to it (3 Jn 10).

Moses was a true servant-leader (see Lk 22:26). He exercised his God-given authority as needed (Ex 32:26), but typically was meek (Nm 12:3) as he listened to his people's needs (e.g. Ex 18:13). His leadership style was to satisfy God and sacrificially love his people. He constantly sought God's direction as he submitted his leadership to God (Ex 34:34). He interceded on behalf of his beloved people, even if he might have to suffer because of it (see Ex 32:10-14, 32).

Is God calling you to be a leader? Seek God's wishes. Answer His call. "With a leader to break the path they shall burst open the gate and go out through it" (Mi 2:13).
 
Prayer: Father, may we obey the leaders You give us and defer to them so they may rejoice in serving You (Heb 13:17).

Promise: "I will announce what has lain hidden since the creation of the world." —Mt 13:35

Presentation Ministries
Amazon Gift Cards: Good for any occasion.
Spiritual Reading
Theological Gems from Emile Merch's Theology of the Mystical Body
- selected by Jim and Tyra Arraj

Book V: In Christ
 
Chapter 15: The Holy Supernatural
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473. A being is characterized by its relation with God. If, as in the Incarnation, the relation changes by becoming infinitely more intimate, the being will change by becoming infinitely more intense; it will be itself, but will be so infinitely better and more than it has a right to be; it will be absolutely supernatural.
 
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