Invitation

August 21: Thursday of Week 20 of Ordinary Time, Year A-II:

Ezekiel 36:23-28; Psalm 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19; Matthew 22:1-4

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

Invitation

“I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you.” Ezekiel 36:26

Celebrations “lift up our hearts.” We “take heart” when celebrations help us focus on what is good or getting better in our lives.

Christian ministry is an invitation to a party. Communion during Mass is a foretaste of it. We proclaim, “Happy are those who are invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb”—if they accept the invitation.

Some can’t celebrate. Their Christianity is a “religion” of doctrines, rules and practices. Their focus is “orthodoxy and orthopraxis.” They even come to Mass clothed in rigidity and reserve, insisting on a robotic presider. They are not “dressed for a wedding” prepared to “worship the LORD with gladness,” and to “come into his presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2). If they are obstinately “reduced to silence” when invited to celebrate, they are choosing to be “cast into the darkness,” where their contribution to the Church will be “wailing” in criticism and “grinding of teeth” in anger.

But if they will let themselves be drawn into the party, God promises: “I will give you a new heart and place a new spirit within you.” If you will “clothe yourselves with the new self,” and accept to be “anointed with the oil of gladness” (Ephesians 4:24; Psalm 45:7), you will be able to “live and give” the Good News.

That is ministry.

PRAY: “Lord, lift up my heart!”

PRACTICE: Give up your reserves and celebrate.