Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 22: Year 1
Morning, Psalms 131, 132, and133; Evening, Psalms 134 and 135;
2nd Kings 23:4 to 25; 1st Corinthians 12:1 to 11; Matthew 9:18 to 26:
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good;” (1st Corinthians 12:4 to 7).
I do believe we are all given much needed gifts when we are conceived. They are given to us by the Spirit of God the Creator. These gifts lay dormant until brought to life by our faith and the Holy Spirit. It truly is magic. Our faith provides the path for the Holy Spirit to find our God given gifts.
We, of various communities, have a variety of needs. Therefore, God has ensured that each of us has those gifted qualities needed in the community we are in, or the community to which we are called to be in. God runs a balancing act within humanity for the good of humanity.
The needed formulas are planted in us before birth. As we are brought up in love and faith, we are brought to “full” life through the Holy Spirit. As Paul says, it is the same Spirit that activates all of us to be what God has planted in us for the benefit of those whom we share life with, our community. This is why it is so tragic when we lose anyone to untimely death. When a person dies, needed gifts are gone unused. This is very sad. This is also why we should treasure every person in our community. We need them. We need you.
Each one of us should spend time pondering about what our Godly gifts are and what our contribution is, to our community, or any community we might be called to. This is called discernment. We will, after discernment, discover what we are gifted for, and what our passion is, and what we are called to do. When we discover our gifted passion and perceive what our community’s needs are, we are well on our way. Where, and when, our passion, and a community’s need resolve for each other, God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 