A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings


Genesis 25:19-34

My wife and I are blessed with three children. Our children have asked on occasion which child we love the most. Our reply is always - “We love you all the same.” However, each of the children have unique personalities, and, as parents, we engage with our children differently. Does this mean that we love them differently? In different moments and in different seasons of their life, our children might feel like we love one more than the other. In this passage, Rebekah receives an answer to prayer and conceives. The children, who were twins - Esau and Jacob - wrestled with each other even within Rebekah’s womb. As the children grew, the Bible tells us that Isaac loved Esau but Rebekah loved Jacob. Have you ever felt more loved or less loved in comparison to another person? How might such a feeling have affected you emotionally, mentally, and physically? What do you think led Esau to sell his birthright to Jacob - might this reality have anything to do with how their parents loved them? Do we feel loved or unloved by God? Why do we feel this way?


Hebrews 13:1-16

We have one job as Christians - to encourage mutual love. What does love look like? Love means showing hospitality to strangers. Love means remembering those who are in prison and those who are being tortured. Love means upholding honor in marriage and keeping the marriage bed undefiled. Love means keeping our life free from the love of money, and being content with what we have. Love means remembering our teachers who spoke words of wisdom into us and remembering other leaders who have modeled the love of Christ for us. We must realize that Jesus Christ’s love for us is the same yesterday and today and forever. We can depend on the love of Jesus to bring us true joy and peace in all places and at all times. Therefore, we must never be swayed by false teachings about worldly prosperity. Love must lead us to live by grace so that we do not lord over others with rules and regulations that diminish the image of God in ourselves or others. Just like Jesus, love may call us to suffer for others and bear abuse in order to bring about justice and equality. We must constantly work to establish love by doing good to others and sharing what we have with others - for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.


John 7:37-52

What simple things can we do today to make a difference in someone else’s life? Many around us are thirsty for a kind word or kind deed. Jesus is the living water but he depends on us to give that water to those who are thirsty. The scriptures make it very clear that out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water. We must not doubt our ability to give the living water of Christ to thoe around us? Many people doubted that the Messiah could come from Galilee. Many will doubt that you and I can transform the world and make it a better place. There will be people that write us off and cast us aside as good for nothing. Some opponents will even go to the extent of arresting any effort we make to say a kind word or do a kind deed. However, the Bible assures us that no one will be able to stop the movement of kindness that we set in motion today. Take a moment today to be kind to someone that would never expect it. The road to a better world begins with one small step forward.


To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

Fr. Thomas+




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