First Things First

July 27: Seventeenth Sunday of Ordinary Time:

1Kings 3:5,7-12; Psalm 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-130; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52

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

“Give your servant an understanding heart.” 1Kings 3:9

The readings are all about priorities. Solomon’s was “an understanding heart.”

Jesus says that if we have an “understanding heart” and find the “pearl of great price” he offers, we will give it priority by “selling all we have” to buy it.

Paul says God’s first priority was that we should “be conformed to the image of his Son,” meaning that his “predestination,” his original, “pre-creation” destiny for all humans, was that we should all “become Christ” as his body on earth.

And God follows through by “calling” us to faith, “justifying” us in Baptism, and “glorifying” us by letting Jesus and the Father be glorified in us when the gift of divine life becomes visible in our words and actions (John 15:8; 17:10).

The bottom line is, our first priority in life should be to let Jesus “glorify” himself—make visible his divine life in us—by giving visible, physical expression in our bodies to the divine gifts of faith, hope and love. Then, “on that day” when Jesus comes, he will be “glorified in his saints and marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony was believed” (2Thessalonians 1:10).

We live “so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To him belong the glory and the power forever and ever” (1Peter 4:11).

This is our ministry.

PRAY: “Lord, speak in me and through me.”

PRACTICE: Surrender all day long.