Daily Gospel Reflection

Rethink Your Timetable

Welcome back to Radical and Relevant, where each day we explore the genius of the life and teachings of Jesus by looking for just one word, one phrase, one idea from the gospel of the day to focus our day so we can live the gospel a little more today than we did yesterday. Today's gospel is from Luke chapter 18, verses 1 through 8. And Jesus told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, "In a certain city, there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man." And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, "Vindicate me against my adversary." For a while, the judge refused. But afterward, he said to himself, "Though I neither fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming." And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God vindicate his elect who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

That's a great question at the end, right? What word or phrase or idea jumped out at you today? The idea that jumped out at me was Jesus' concept of time. Very often in the gospels, Jesus will say, "It's coming soon," or, "This will happen speedily," is what he says, "Be vindicated speedily." God's version of speedily and my version of speedily, I have discovered vastly different often. God's sense of time, my sense of time, God's sense of urgency, my sense of urgency, very often, very different. And why is that? Well, we're reading the scriptures God's ways and not man's ways. And from there, our differences begin to extrapolate and multiply. What's happening in your life right now, and what timetable have you put on it, and is it frustrating you that it's not happening at that timetable? And are you open to God's timetable? And what timetable is God putting on this situation or circumstance in your life? Are you trying to force your timetable rather than open yourself up to his timetable? Have a great day, and remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.