Reflection for August 25th
Readings: 1 Corinthians: 1 – 9, Matthew 24:42 – 51. (Also, the Collect: “O God, who cause the minds of the faithful to unite in a single purpose, grant your people to love what you command and to desire what you promise, that, amid the uncertainties of this world, our hearts may be fixed on that place where true gladness is found.”
In the reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians, we hear the words, “to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”. These words and the Gospel reading’s call to “stay awake” caught my attention.
The word sanctified means to be set apart. This is a call for all of creation to reverence the action of our Creator. I see it not so much as to be separated but to join with all of creation in recognizing opportunities to give praise and honor to God. It is an invitation to live in the moment and to recognize our place in the Kingdom of God. We are called to make right use of our spiritual gifts to foster unity and peace in our world. We do this by our words and actions. We are nudged by the Holy Spirit to make God’s presence known and to bring love to an anxious world. Jesus showed us the way by his words and actions. Our creator opens the way for us to follow.
The Magnificat of the Blessed Virgin is a prime example.
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.”
What might you write in your own Magnificat?