LAYER BY LAYER
Jesus wants to draw us into a deep and lifelong relationship with Him…
In today's First
Reading from the Book of Exodus, we read that their covenant with God on Sinai
has fashioned Israel into the people of God. Throughout their subsequent
history, the people often debated this question: What constitutes membership in
the community of God's people? This is the context of Matthew's Gospel.
The Christians for
whom St. Matthew wrote were convinced that belonging to the people of God meant
believing in Jesus Christ as Messiah. They agonized over the question of why so
many of their fellow Jews rejected the Gospel. In today's scripture, Jesus
tells his disciples that God has given them a privileged insight into the
mysteries of our Father's heavenly reign.
As for those who do
not hear or understand, their refusal is part of God's plan, too. We don't
always understand the real meaning of things that happen to us or around us. We
may, for example, visit with a friend or extended family but only later - even
weeks or months later - come to understand what that conversation was really
all about. But with those closest to us, we can know things about them, deep
things, that we would never understand if we only knew them in passing. Today we read about people looking and
listening to Jesus but they cannot see or hear the ways that God works in Him.
For these people they can't bring the pieces together to fit just right. But
for those who follow our Lord and pay close attention to what He is doing,
things fit just right. Jesus wants to
draw us into a deep and lifelong relationship with Him, so, layer by layer, we
will come to see and hear how Jesus the God-man works in our midst.
Let us give Him
glory and praise forever!