Daily Office Reading for Wednesday of Proper 2: Year 2
Morning, Psalm 119:1 to 24; Evening, Psalm 12, 13 and 14;
Proverbs 6:1 to 19; 1st John 5:1 to 12; Matthew 11:16 to 24:
“For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax-collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds;” (Matthew 11:18 and 19).
Our Lord Jesus defends the deeds of John and himself by vindicating the deeds, not their personal way of life. I think the key, and repeated phrase here is “they say.” Many a false tale about someone often begins with, “they say.” Too often the “they say” is derogatory or hurtful and intended to cast a negative cloud over a person, or group of people. Who are “they” anyway?
We say who we are more about ourselves by what we do than by what we say, even about ourselves. The old saying, “action speaks louder than words’ I think is very true. Sometimes however we need help and motivation to do the right thing. Believing in God and asking God to assist us in doing and saying that that is loving, is the best way get the divine assistance needed to do what is right and pleasing to God. The food and drink we abstain from does not make us demon possessed. Likewise, being in fellowship with those that some say are hopeless does not make us hopeless as well. We must be kind, try to love all people, and when we find it difficult, ask for help from God and never mind what “they say.”
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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
Let us pray:
Dear Lord Jesus, who consoles us through the ever-present Holy Spirit of God, help us to not be troubled by the misguided words of negative minded people, but rather, help us instead to always be mindful of our actions, our deeds, that the things we do are loving and pleasing in your sight, Amen.
onewhoponders 