Thirty-First Wednesday in Ordinary Time

Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine like lights in the world, as you hold on to the word of life, so that my boast for the day of Christ may be that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

God often asks us to do things we don’t understand or don’t want to do. This can tempt us to grumble against Him or question Him, but this shouldn’t be our response to His call. Rather, we should trust that what He is asking of us will lead to our good and the good of others. We should be willing to suffer, just as Jesus suffered, to bring about His Kingdom. We must wrestle with our pride and make ourselves humble children of God. The world surrounds us with thoughts, words, and works that will lead us astray if we let them. This is why it’s so important to resist these temptations and shine like lights in the world and hold onto the word of life. If we do this, then God will give us the graces we need to overcome all our obstacles, to run the race of faith to its finish, and to produce good fruits for Him and all His children.

How can we rid ourselves of grumbling and questioning in regards to following Christ? What can we do to shine like lights in the world and lead others closer to God? How can we resist the temptations of the world and become holier people?

O Lord, help us to shine like lights in the world.

Amen.