Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
1 Samuel 17:32-51 Like the Israelites of old, sometimes it seems that we are constantly engaged in battles with the enemy, that is the forces of darkness, ‘death’ and deceits of all kinds. The stories of war in the books of Samuel teach us much about our present day conflicts of good vs. evil. When David faced Goliath, he made a lucid statement that stands for all ages: This is not my battle, it is the Lord’s. Although it may seem that the ‘battles’ I face in interpersonal relationships, in my work, or in the wider community are mine to fight and to conquer, the truth is that every battle is a scene in the theo-drama of love conquering fear, hope disengaging despair, and faith in God making sense of chaos. As I engage the forces of evil in the battlegrounds of life, I am called to depend not on my own weaponry and wits, but to choose ‘five small, smooth stones’ , that is, a limited number of simple, well-balanced words or actions of mercy, of forgiveness, or of kindness. and keep them near at hand. Then when the evil forces swirling around me attempt to deride me and laugh at my trust in God, I can casually take out a word or a work of grace and send it flying their way to stop them dead in their tracks. Am I lugging around weighty weaponry, or do I have my pouch full of dozens of rough rocks, or do I I have ‘five’ smooth stones of truth and love in my pocket ready to be launched at the behest of the Holy Spirit of God at exactly the right moment? Holy Spirit of God, help me choose and use 5 smooth stones to fight your battles. Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit. (Proverbs 15:4) If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. St. Teresa of Calcutta www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca & Gospel Mystery of the Day on Facebook Soli ad gloriam Dei
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AuthorBeverly Illauq lives in Kemptville, Ontario, where she greets each morning by seeking the Gospel Mystery of the Day - the Word of the Lord for direct and practical application to the specific challenges & joys of the day. Archives
March 2024
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