Pondering for Sunday, June 18, 2023

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday Proper 6:  Year A

Genesis 18:1-15; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35 to 10:23.

“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child.” (Matthew 10: 19 and 20)  

It is very difficult to talk about a father betraying his child, especially on Father’s Day.  But it is good to remember that it is our Father in heaven that will speak through us in our time of trial.

We all face times of trial. It stresses us out.  As Father John, I am often called to be the spiritual father of many who cannot deal with the stresses of life on their own.  I have had some troubled people in counseling sessions to just stop, breathe and concentrate on a clock, or their watch.  I had them to specifically focus on the seconds.  As the seconds ticked by, I would remind them that they survived those seconds successfully.  When a minute was reached it seemed almost appropriate to celebrate, just a little.  Maybe even silently saying the Lord’s Prayer, which begins with “Our Father.” This prayer given to us by our Brother Christ helps to pass the seconds and minutes. But don’t stop noticing the seconds and minutes that tick by.  And maybe an occasional “Help Me Jesus” would fit in between prayers; tick, tock, tick tock.

On Father’s Day I am reminded of our Saint Joseph, the earthly father of our Lord Jesus.  We cannot talk about fatherhood without mentioning Joseph. Only in this Gospel according to Matthew, and Luke, do we hear the history of Jesus being born and raised. Joseph, the husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the best example of fatherhood there is. And even though Matthew and Luke tell the story of Joseph, neither have any words that come from the mouth of Joseph.  Joseph keeps his silence. Yet he is obedient to any and all instruction that comes from above. “Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

If we look, we will find that while Joseph was planning to discretely dismiss Mary because she was already pregnant, an angel spoke to him and explained the that his fatherhood of Jesus was God’s plan for the salvation of all humanity, (Matthew 1). And later Joseph was told to take the baby to Egypt, and then even later return to Israel, (Matthew 2). All this Joseph did in silent obedience to God. As fathers today we are distressed but we are not to worry about how we are to speak or what we are to say. We follow Joseph’s example until the Lord gives us words.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God 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