In the Background

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/121516.cfm) reminds me how God recognizes what we do for Him, even if we work silently in the background. 

The world recognizes loud people. People who brag their accomplishments are recognized and looked up to. However, those work work and accomplish things silently and in the background often remains there. This is usually how the world reacts. Good thing God does not work that way. 

In the gospel, we see Jesus telling people how great John the Baptist is. Among those born of women, no one is greater than John. Wow. Lakas! That's how important and special John was. That's how God recognizes work we do for Him. John worked in the background, silently preparing the way for Jesus. He did not want attention to himself, but humbled himself and focused people on Jesus. The world did not really reward him, he did not have a lot of followers and did not get attention and recognition for his work for God. But God saw his love and work, and recognized snd rewarded him for it. 

God sees what we do for Him silently in the background. 

We need not worry about affirmation and recognition of others for work we do for God. As we see with John, the world did not recognize and affirm him. Still, God who sees everything, rewards and recognizes everything. The lack of affirmation from others should not discourage us. We should not look for those things. We just need to focus on God, do his work, and have faith that he sees everything. And will reward us. 

May we be willing to work for God silently, regardless of how the world sees or treats us. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I look for affirmation from others. Sorry for wanting others to see and recognize my good works for you. Help me be like John the Baptist. Help me just focus on you. Give me a heart that would be willing to work silently for you. I know you see everything and you know everything. I have faith that even if the world does not see and recognize it, you do, and that is what's important. Amen. 

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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December 15, 2016
Thursday of the Third Week in Advent
Lectionary: 190

Reading 1 Is 54:1-10

Raise a glad cry, you barren one who did not bear,
Break forth in jubilant song, you who were not in labor,
For more numerous are the children of the deserted wife
than the children of her who has a husband,
says the LORD.
Enlarge the space for your tent,
spread out your tent cloths unsparingly;
lengthen your ropes and make firm your stakes.
For you shall spread abroad to the right and to the left;
your descendants shall dispossess the nations
and shall people the desolate cities.

Fear not, you shall not be put to shame;
you need not blush, for you shall not be disgraced.
The shame of your youth you shall forget,
the reproach of your widowhood no longer remember.
For he who has become your husband is your Maker;
his name is the LORD of hosts;
Your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel,
called God of all the earth.
The LORD calls you back,
like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
A wife married in youth and then cast off,
says your God.
For a brief moment I abandoned you,
but with great tenderness I will take you back.
In an outburst of wrath, for a moment
I hid my face from you;
But with enduring love I take pity on you,
says the LORD, your redeemer.

This is for me like the days of Noah,
when I swore that the waters of Noah
should never again deluge the earth;
So I have sworn not to be angry with you,
or to rebuke you.
Though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be shaken,
My love shall never leave you
nor my covenant of peace be shaken,
says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 30:2 and 4, 5-6, 11-12a and 13b

R. (2a) I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
I will extol you, O LORD, for you drew me clear
and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the nether world;
you preserved me from among those going down into the pit.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
“Hear, O LORD, and have pity on me;
O LORD, be my helper.”
You changed my mourning into dancing;
O LORD, my God, forever will I give you thanks.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.

Alleluia Lk 3:4, 6

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:
All flesh shall see the salvation of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 7:24-30

When the messengers of John the Baptist had left,
Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John.
“What did you go out to the desert to see B a reed swayed by the wind?
Then what did you go out to see?
Someone dressed in fine garments?
Those who dress luxuriously and live sumptuously
are found in royal palaces.
Then what did you go out to see?
A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
This is the one about whom Scripture says:

Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
he will prepare your way before you.

I tell you,
among those born of women, no one is greater than John;
yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he.”
(All the people who listened, including the tax collectors,
who were baptized with the baptism of John,
acknowledged the righteousness of God;
but the Pharisees and scholars of the law,
who were not baptized by him,
rejected the plan of God for themselves.)