Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Tuesday of the First Week of Lent

(Isaiah 55:10-11; Matthew 6:7-15)

A pastor had an idea to raise funds for his parish life center.  He would give any parishioner ten dollars for a project so that they could give it back with another ten dollars.  Putting responsible people’s entrepreneurial minds to work can produce remarkable results.  Needless to say, the parish life center was built.  In today’s first reading we hear how God puts His word to work with wonderful results.

The reading comes from the second part of the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, often called Deutero-Isaiah.  This book tells of the people Israel suffering in Babylon and their liberation through Cyrus of Persia.  However, the one God is the hero of the work.  He directs all action through His efficacious word.  Today’s passage describes that word as rain from heaven producing abundant fruit.


We should never doubt God’s word and should pray daily to see it change our lives.  We will find that God acts in our best interests.  Whether or not we receive exactly what we seek, God will share with us His Holy Spirit.  This gift more than compensates for anything that we find wanting.