Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 2
Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;
1st Samuel 16:1 to 13a; Ephesians 3:14 to 21; Matthew 8:18 to 27:
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1st Samuel 16: 7)
For the first king, God allowed the people of Israel to have a say in the selection of their king. But now, even though God does not like the idea of them having a king other than God’s self, God will select from among mortals for them.
God is not looking at height, or intellect from among the Israelites. God is only concerned with a potential king’s heart, with his compassion for others. We should be the same way. When we select leaders we should be most concerned with the heart and compassion of a potential leader.
Today we recall the Visitation of Mary (the Mother of Jesus) as she visited Elizabeth (the mother of John the Baptist). This again shows that God wants leaders who love people to lead people.
Elizabeth cries out the greeting, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb,” (Luke 1:42). I believe that it is from her words as recorded in the Gospel according to Luke that the Roman Catholic Church have the words used in part for their Rosary prayers.
All of this shows God’s desire for us to have leaders based on their love for others. Such love in our leader should be for those close to us and live the way we do; and for those who are our neighbors with different lifestyles. We are all God’s children. We should not look for human ideals such as height or race or gender for leadership. We should look for what’s in their heart. It is what the Spirit is saying to us.
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 