See In, Speak Out

July 26: Saturday of Week 16 of Ordinary Time, Year A-II:

Jeremiah 7:1-11; Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6, 8, 11; Matthew 13:24-30

Thoughts to help us surrender to Jesus expressing himself through us in ministry.

“Blessed they who dwell in your house! Continually they praise you.” Psalm 84:4

Two readings speak of the temple, one of God’s “field.” God’s presence makes both holy, but both can be corrupted. God says “I will remain with you only if you no longer oppress immigrants” or  “shed innocent blood”—for example, by executing criminals now innocent through repentance—or “follow strange gods” by focusing on making money (Mammon) instead of on giving mercy to the poor: specifically “widows and orphans,” e.g. single-parent families with no male provider. Those who distract us from this are the “enemy” who “sows weeds among the wheat.”

God’s field are those who “hear the word, accept it and bear fruit” (Mark 4:20). His temple now is us: “God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple” (1Corinthians 3:17). God dwells in our bodies as in his own house. “Blessed are they” who dwell there consciously with him; the Psalm says, “Continually they praise you.” If we look in to what we are, we will speak out in praise and thanksgiving.

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

If we don’t give expression to praise and thanksgiving, we won’t be aware of why we should. The fact is, what we don’t praise we won’t appreciate. To know either God or ourselves, we have to say what we see. If we don’t we go blind.

PRAY: “Lord, open my eyes and my mouth.”

PRACTICE: Look, speak, act.