“Be not crushed on their account, as though I would leave you crushed before them.”
Jeremiah 1:17
At the end of The Two Towers movie, Samwise and Frodo are at the end of their rope, and Frodo doesn’t know how to go on. Sam gives the pep talk of a lifetime, ending with the now-famous line, “There’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for!” Last Sunday, Jesus proclaimed from the Prophet Isaiah that God wants to do something special for the poor and oppressed and that He, Jesus, is God – “today this is fulfilled in your hearing.” And what do they people do? They praise him at first, but then – as the meaning of his words sinks in – they react in today’s Gospel by trying to throw him off a cliff! No prophet is accepted in his native place, indeed!
Sometimes we feel like we’re being pushed toward a cliff. Life gets overwhelming and it feels like the world is against us. But God reminds us today via divine pep talk that God formed you in your mother’s womb and equips you to fight against the darkness of this world. But how do God’s people fight? Through love! The disciple of Jesus is called to persist in love against all odds. It demands much of us: patience, kindness, and NOT being jealous, pompous, or rude. Instead, we are meant to keep fighting via love of our neighbor, especially those who need us most.
Which attribute of love in today’s second reading do I need from God today, and which attribute of love am I being called to show more of?
Jesus, help me turn to You for the encouragement, grace, and strength that I need to live for You and love my neighbor.
Today’s Reflection is by:
Mike Buckler
Did you know…
A youth minister for 15 years, Mike Buckler enjoys a good cup of coffee, playing soccer with his kids, and always has three of four books “in progress.” He serves in the diocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry and loves seeing God transform the lives of young people.
