A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings

Genesis 44:18-34

There is a saying - “Land of the free because of the brave.” In this passage Judah steps up and pleads for Benjamin’s freedom. Has anyone ever stepped up and pleaded on your behalf? Have you ever done that for someone else? What inspires someone to invite diaster upon themselves in hopes of saving another person from danger? Did not Jesus step up and plead on our behalf when he died on the cross for our sins? We must realize that there is always a costs to freedom. What rights and liberties do we currently enjoy that we have forgotten to give thanks for? How might remembering the costs of our freedom helps us to be more grateful and humble?


1 Corinthians 7:25-31

In this passage Paul is confronted with the impending crisis of Christ’s return. In light of this crisis, people were seeking counsel from Paul as to how they should live their life. Their confusion rests in the tension between temporal/eternal realities and individuality/community participation. Paul raises some key points. To begin with, are we merciful when we share our opinions? If not, then why would anyone dare to trust what we say? Second, when we give advice to one another, what shapes our discernment process? Third, how do we perceive life’s storms - do we run towards them or away from them and why? Whether we should remain as we are because life on earth is temporal or enter into something new because life is eternal is hard to decide. Our individual choices on how we live life must be shaped by our vision for the community and world in which  we exists. As we live within the tensions of life, we must turn to the Creator of all life in order to gain wisdom, we must follow the example of Jesus Christ who showed us the way forward, and we must be led by the Holy Spirit who guides us into all the truth.


Mark 5:21-43

The 2021 movie “Encanto” pivots on the idea of a miracle waiting to happen. If we look at the lyrics in “Waiting on a Miracle,” we will see that Mirabel confesses her willingness to change the way the family has been run under Abuela. The house only starts to crack after she sings this song. Mirabel has let the miracle know that she is ready to step into Abuela’s role as the head of the house because she can make it better for the family and the town.


I would heal what’s broken

Show this family something new

Who I am inside, so what can I do?

I’m sick of waiting on a miracle, so here I go

I am ready, come on, I’m ready

I’ve been patient, and steadfast, and steady

Bless me now as you blessed us all those years ago

When you gave us a miracle.


In this Bible passage, the healing of Jairus’ daughter and of the woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years remind us of the power of Jesus to heal those who have faith. They were both waiting for a miracle to happen but could have let their fears stand in the way of a miracle. What we learn is that our fears of what might be must not rob us of what can be. What past experiences keep us from having faith that God can work a miracle in our life? Like Mirabel, Jairus, and the hemorrhaging woman - we must step into our fears and believe that a miracle will happen that changes us and our world for the better.


To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.

Fr. Thomas+



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