Fourteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping." And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

Sometimes our faith will get us ridiculed and persecuted, but if we persist in hope and love, we can overcome any trials. In addition, by placing our trust in God, we give witness to our belief in a loving and merciful God, especially to those who doubt. Our witness, given through our words and works, may lead others to take a leap of faith in their own lives and help them to discover their own path to God. We never know who might be looking at our actions and taking them to heart and it is far better for us if our deeds lead people toward God, rather than away from Him.

Do we stand up for our faith when it is ridiculed or persecuted? Do we trust enough in God to allow Him to work through us? Are our actions leading others toward or away from God?

O Lord, help us to arise and spread your Good News to all the world through our words and works.

Amen.

Fourteenth Monday of Ordinary Time

When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, "Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping. "And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose.

Sometimes when we try to help others or to do the right thing, others ridicule us and make us feel like we are doing something wrong. However, when we are faced with the opportunity to act out of love or mercy, we should not let the chance pass by because of what others think. All we can do in this life is to try to think, speak, and act like Jesus. We are called to be God-bearers just as Mary was in her life. When faced with ridicule, we must put the crowd out of our minds and do the right thing. In this way, we can raise the spirits of those whom we help and gain even more glory for God by doing it in spite of what others might think, say, or do to us because of it.

Who are the people who ridicule our faith? Do we let them keep us from doing the right thing? How can we be more Christ-like even in the face of opposition?

O Lord, help us to ignore the ridicule of others and act in accord with your will.

Amen.