TUESDAY OF THE TENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2022

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Your light must shine in the sight of men,
so that, seeing your good works,
they may give the praise to your Father in heaven. MT 5:16

1 KINGS 17:7-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Sometimes You permit the stream of life-giving water to dry up in our lives because You are about to do something new. When that time comes we are to get up as You bid and go where You send us as Elisha did. It was a time of drought. You told the prophet to go to Zarephath and instructed him what to do when they met the poor widow gathering sticks in order to prepare the last meal for herself and her son after which she said they would die.  

Elijah first asked her for a drink of water. Even when we imagine we have nothing there is still something we can give. A little water to refresh another, to revive another, to give new hope and life even if we consider it as too little or nothing. When she went to do as he bid her, he added that she also get him some bread. This is when she made known to him her dire situation. What little she had of meal and oil was just sufficient to prepare their last meal after which they would lay down and die.

When we think that we have reached the end and there is no hope in sight, we are wrong. God is our Jehovah Jirah, our Provider. Elisha insisted that the first give him a small portion of the food she had left and God would reward her. He said that her act of sharing the little she had would result in God heaping blessings on her. And so it was. The miracle of God's unending supply of blessings until needed is granted to us when we open ourselves and give of ourselves and what we have to those in need.

“Jar of meal shall not be spent,

jug of oil shall not be emptied,
before the day when the Lord sends
rain on the face of the earth.”

Too often, Beloved, we hold back from giving of our poverty afraid that there would be nothing for ourselves and those we love, but the truth that You reveal to us is that when we trust You, You will not fail us, ever. 

Jesus, I trust in You.

PSALM 4:2-5,7-8 ©

Beloved, You tell us what we must to in order to be happy:

‘What can bring us happiness?’ many say.
Lift up the light of your face on us, O Lord.

You have put into my heart a greater joy
than they have from abundance of corn and new wine. vs 7-8

MATTHEW 5:13-16 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

As the Church takes up once again, the season of Ordinary
Time, she reminds us in the Gospel chosen for our reflection today at Holy Mass, that we are the salt and the light of the earth.

We are Your signs in a world that has lost its savor for all that is true, good, holy, and beautiful. All that is right and fitting for us to live lives that are filled with peace, joy, and the love of God. 

When we lose sight of who we are as sons and daughters of God, as Your sisters and Your brothers, we become as lackluster and nondescript as the rest of the world. All who are baptized are children of God and as God's children, we are meant to be alter Christus in the world. Too often, Beloved, we desire to imitate the children of the world we are like salt that becomes tasteless and has to be discarded. 

God grant that starting from today, from this moment, I embrace the identity that You give me. Today You say to me: 

‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’

Grant O Lord that all who see me see only You in me and give praise to You and to our Father in heaven. Amen.