The associated reading for this reflection can be found in your Every Sacred Sunday Mass journal or online here.
Today’s readings make me squirm a little in my seat. Reading them is a gut check for me when it comes to doing any kind of ministry or work for God. It’s pretty clear that His heart is for his people, and those who lead them. There’s a stark warning to those in any kind of leadership that the heart of God for His people is simply HIM. It’s not a carefully crafted sermon, a curated social media page, and it’s not even prettily designed graphics. What is the Heart of God? The Gospel. The Good News. Jesus. He is the final note, the last Word, the Son of God Incarnate sent to the earth to redeem and save mankind.
A holy fear comes upon me, and I get a reality check. In what areas have I turned aside from Jesus and thought I could do it better? In what ways have I ministered in order to be seen as holy by others? In what ways have I preferred places of honor rather than humble living, preferring to be a servant, desiring to be chosen last?
The most amazing thing about this realization is that I’m not stuck in my misery and sin. Even when I do these things, the Lord still gives me peace. He still leads and guides. He still uses me to accomplish the will of His Father — namely, to make disciples of all nations, teaching them the ways of God.
If we allow ourselves to truly look at the piece of the Kingdom entrusted to us, the greater God will be able to move and work through us. We need to allow Him to convict our hearts in areas where we have failed and put ourselves first. Jesus is very clear at the end of the Gospel when He says, “the greatest among you must be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” My prayer for all of us today is that we continually seek Jesus in the hidden place, constantly giving God everything we have so that His name might be exalted throughout the ends of the earth.
Ali Hoffman loves Jesus, the Church, her family, friends, donuts, and pilot G-2 .38 pens. She is passionate about discipleship and teaching people to pray.