Readings:
Ezekiel 1:2-5,24-28
Matthew 17:22-27
Reflection:
“While I am someone who does not typically care for the Olympics, Australia’s success has been something I have been keeping up with.
For those not watching, this has been Australia’s most successful Olympics yet, as measured by the number of Gold Medals won. Our women, in particular, have done exceptionally well in this area.
All countries measure their success by counting their Gold medal count. All countries except one…the Americans. They have chosen to count their medals via the TOTAL number of medals (Gold, Silver and Bronze).
While this has been quite humorous to me, it has also been food for thought in my spiritual life.
All too often I also like to change around the facts and opinions of others so that I too may be a winner (like our American friends). Jesus, in his time, often dealt with people like myself.
In the Gospel reading, we see Jesus challenge his own disciples in this way. He tells them that “they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again” And (the disciples) were troubled exceedingly.
While it may be easy to hear the easy facts and things that allow us to be unmoved, may we always allow Jesus to move us where we need to go. May we let go of the things that keep us safe and allow ourselves to be moved to spaces of uncomfortablity and growth.”
Thomas Warren.