God, Give Me Strength!

Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reflecting on the Word

By Dr. Karla J. Bellinger

He stares at the ground. A spider creeps toward his sandal and  then scurries away. This morning in the dark, his chest is heavy.  There is so much more that he wants for them, but they don’t get it.  The bickering, the hard-heartedness, the self-absorption—it weighs  him down. 

Images flow across his mind: his disciples striving, competing,  “Who is the greatest?” Wanting his favor. Wanting to look good.  Wanting to be the best. His brain is tired. They just don’t understand.  His spirit is low. What more can he do? It feels as though all of  human history has been burdened by this kind of hardness of heart,  this continual “no” to an orientation toward goodness. He sees that  this mission to bring abundance and light—it is not going to end  well. He told his friends that yesterday for the first time. They were  not listening. Is this world worth pouring out his life for? Is it worth  the cost? 

A smell of bread floats through the air. Someone is up before the  dawn. Someone has the courage to start this day anew, no matter  what yesterday brought. The aroma brings him back to childhood:  the bread his mother baked, the joy on Joseph’s face as they broke  the warm loaves together at the family table. 

He remembers yesterday’s touch of the little boy’s fingers on his  forearm. The child had smiled at him while the adults were arguing.  The Father must still trust in the human race: God keeps creating  children, starting anew, believing once again. The memory of the  child’s innocence gives him courage. He can give his life for this  child. He will give his life for this child. 

The Bread of Life raises his chin from his hand and stands. It is a  new day, to be lived for God alone.

Consider/Discuss 

  • Discouraged. Disheartened. Bent low. Do you ever have mornings like that?  Or days like that? What little things or memories does God give you that  get you moving, pick you up, give you courage, and keep you going? 
  • One of the great slave spiritual hymns has the refrain, “I ain’t gonna grieve  my Lord no more.” What kind of sadness does God feel when seeing our  human hard-heartedness? What is one thing that I can do differently today  to help create a world that doesn’t “grieve the Lord no more”? 

Living and Praying with the Word 

Lord, I know that you gave me feet. But they aren’t moving this  morning. I know that you gave me a brain. But it’s not awake yet. I  know that you gave me a heart. I can feel it beating. There are days  like this one when it feels as though nothing is happening within me.  I don’t even feel that I can pray. But I know that you love me today,  too. Maybe you had days like that as well? Whatever I’ve got, I hand  it to you. It’s not much, but it’s me. Here, Lord, here it is.

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