"Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves." Matthew 10:16
"It's not that I disagree with his points," one friend said of a popular social commentator, "but his tone doesn't strike me as very Christian." I've heard similar criticisms many times, and my gut reaction is typically to scoff. "Who cares about someone's tone if they're speaking the truth?" While there is no question that the truth of one's words ought to trump the eloquence of their delivery, we would do well to heed the wisdom of today's Gospel, when Christ instructs us to be "shrewd as serpents and simple as doves." Being shrewd doesn't mean being deceptive. It means knowing your audience and knowing when to hold your tongue. Because it seems brave, we can be drawn to boldly call out evil in dramatic fashion. And there is time and place for doing just that! But are we shrewd enough to know those times? Are we genuinely seeking to build up the Kingdom of God, or simply to tear down those who cross us?
Am I calling out evil to build up the Kingdom of God, or merely to tear down my enemies?
Heavenly Father, grant us the wisdom to be shrewd and serpents and innocent as doves.
Today's Reflection is by:
Deacon Donald Amodeo
Did you know...
Deacon Donald Amodeo is a transitional deacon for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. He was ordained on April 17th and God-willing, will be ordained to the priesthood in May 2022. Author of the afterlife adventure "Dead & Godless," Don is an avid reader and a fan of apologetics, coffee and cast-iron skillets. His home parish is St. Mary Catholic Church in Tampa.
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here
