Readings:
Hosea 14:2-10
Matthew 10:16-23

Reflection:
“In the last month or so, one of the key themes that has been coming to me in my prayers, my reflections and in my life is a theme of vulnerability.
My work with students in the Passionist Youth Retreat Team had taught me much on the subject. Young people by their very nature are vulnerable. They know less, they don’t have power and they are very much lacking freedom to follow their heart. In saying this, it’s their strength of vulnerability that constantly amazes me.
A boy today on one of our retreats within prayer time chose to pray for superpowers. His exact words were “Lord, give me superpowers, that would be cool. Amen”.
While he was reprimanded by myself, his teachers and his classmates, I cannot help but admire his openness for either attention from his classmates or his true desire to obtain superpowers from the good Lord himself.
How often will I choose not to pray or ask for things out of pride? All too often. I will often choose to stray away from the vulnerable for fear it will make me look weak to all those around me.
While the boy was being silly in asking for something like superpowers, I can’t help but be reminded of Jesus’ own vulnerability in weeping when a friend died or asking God to take away his suffering.
I pray that in the future, I can continue to look to the example of vulnerability that the youth are often much keener than us adults to show, even when they do it in silly ways. Perhaps there is something of Jesus in the silliness.”
I hope that this is OK, and I look forward to writing the next one!
Thomas Warren.