The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
Some of my warmest memories take place in my grandma’s house, which was built in the early 1900s. The rich mahogany banisters of the master staircase are like arms ready to hug and greet you as you enter the massive foyer. Those stairs became the dining table for us youngest grandkids when the house proved too small to hold all the guests. The football had been tossed in the yard more times than we can count, almost as many times as passes made with the lawnmower, up and down that steep hill leading to the sidewalk. My grandma and my dad grew up in this house. My great-grandfather passed it to my grandmother, and now it’s been passed to my aunt who currently carries the torch with pride. She’s even been generous enough to let my cousins and I live there during summers between school. The home that the Lord provided for my great-grandfather has continually been passed down and continued to be the source of countless gifts of home, family, sacrifice and faith.
In today’s readings we see the theme of the gift of inheritance, and multiplication of that gift if we’re good stewards of what we’re given. In Isaiah, the Lord places Eliakim in the role of father over the inhabitants of the land and gives him a place of honor in his family. Later in Matthew, we read about Peter being placed as the rock of the Church, and that he’ll be given the “keys to the kingdom.” While we might see this as a gift and honor for Peter, it also comes with a great amount of responsibility to share the Good News and all the gifts he’s been given with all those he encounters and those who come after him.
We have a responsibility to share the gifts we are given with others, especially those put in our care or in our direct paths, so as to pass on the goodness of God and what He’s given us. My warm memories in my grandma’s house are a testament to all the people who shared that gift with me, that built up my sense of God’s love for me through family, generosity, and hospitality.
God, reveal to us all who has shared Your love with us, and how we can share the gifts and love You’ve given us with others. Amen.
Catherine Huss is the founder of the ethically made women’s swimwear brand Siena and Co., and currently serves as Technical Designer for Vuori in San Diego. Her favorite conversations combine Jesus and the modern experiences of fashion, relationships, and pop culture. Learn more about her endeavors at siena-co.com.
