Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the 2nd Week of Epiphany: Year 1
Morning, Psalm 38; Evening, Psalm 119:25 to 48;
Isaiah 44:24 to 45:7; Ephesians 5:1 to 14; Mark 4:1 to 20:
“And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secretof the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that “they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.” (Mark 4:11 – 12)
This is a clue that in order to hear what the Spirit is saying to us through Biblical readings, that we must look deep beneath the surface of the literal text. Truth was veiled in parables because truth required the work necessary to get the reward. Those who just scrape the surface attain nothing of real value and could even be misleading or short circuited. We can’t just grab and go. Sometimes we must savor the soup for a while to collect all the rich flavors of what’s there.
So, before we go deeper we must believe that there is something hidden beneath the perceived obvious. We also must believe that the treasure is worth the work of going deeper. There are many small steps that require patience in order to learn them. Living the Christian life is this way. To us has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. We only have to follow the Master Chef, Jesus, and we will perceive, understand, and turn and be forgiven and received into the kingdom. Be well.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 