Wednesday, September 2, 2015



Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

(Colossians 1:1-8; Luke 4:38-44)

Reading today’s gospel, we get the impression that Jesus was a much busier man than he wanted to be.  He arises at daybreak to steal off and pray, but the crowds follow him.  He wants to intentionally preach God’s Kingdom in different places, but the people harass him to work exclusively among them.  Perhaps we too know well Jesus’ predicament.

Some of us, likewise inclined to retreat and pray, find this propensity compromised by urgent needs.  We have to respond to the demands and requests others make on us for the common good.  Our response, however, will be more efficacious when we do not abandon prayer.  Rather we should base our efforts on it.  In prayer we discern what is necessary for us to do and find God’s assistance in doing it.