The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/030713.cfm) reminds me that God does not want a secret agent.
There is a story of a man who is married to a religious woman. When they go to mass, the wife sits in front while the man always stays outside, smoking his cigarette and just waiting for the mass to finish. One Sunday, the priest gave a homily about Christians being soldiers of God, and those sitting in front of the church are the front liners. Knowing that the husband is fan of action movies, the wife thought that the homily would somehow make her husband her mass inside the church. When she talked to him about it, he jokingly answered – “it’s okay, I’ll still stay outside. I’m not a soldier, I’m God’s secret agent!”
In today’s gospel, we see that God does not want secret agents.
Whoever is not with me is against me,
and whoever does not gather with me scatters
and whoever does not gather with me scatters
He wants us to be explicit when we choose. Either for him or against him, no in between. God wants us to live our lives showing him what side we are on.
In the first reading, we see a people whose backs are turned away from God. We see people living lives that displeases God. In the gospel, we see people who act similarly. After Jesus drove out a demon, the people, instead of having faith and praising God for it, spoke ill of Jesus. Their hearts were closed and Jesus knew it.
May we be challenged to be soldiers of Christ, not like those who turned their backs and hardened their hearts to God, and live our lives as evidence of that.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for reminding me that I need to be a soldier for you – an explicit soldier, living my life as a testament of my love for and faith in you. I ask that you help me, especially when I live like a secret agent, when people don’t see you in me and in how I live my life, to be decisive and live for you. Amen.
Blessed day!
In Christ,
-g-
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