8th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year A)
Isaiah 49:14-15 | Psalm 61(62):2-3,6-9 | Matthew 6:24-34
Zion was saying, ‘The Lord has abandoned me,
the Lord has forgotten me.’ (Isaiah 49:14)
The above passage reminded me of a discussion I had with my old friend on the subject of helicopters. I’d learned that main rotor of some helicopters is secured to the aircraft by a single huge retaining nut, like this one:
If this nut fails, or otherwise “abandons” the main body, the rotor blades will continue their upward trajectory for a while, but we in the helicopter immediately plunge down to earth, calling out to our Lord and Saviour all the way.
It’s no wonder, then, that aviation folks call this the Jesus nut.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
Our choir had an interesting if all-too-brief recollection session yesterday. Besides learning about the distinction between a disciple and a volunteer, I finally have a name for all this blogging I’ve been doing over the last 10 months: Lectio Divina, or at least a primitive version thereof.
A stray thought struck me, as Fr. Cornelius led us through an abbreviated version of LD: I think I’m addicted to this. I think I’m nuts about Jesus!
I honestly don’t think I can stop this daily “Jesus chase” of my own volition. Every day, on the bus or train ride home, I instinctively flip to the next day’s scripture, read through it, and ponder it all the way home, while watching the people around me with peripheral interest. Sometimes, their antics light the flame of an idea within me.
Or perhaps the day’s activities strike inspiration over dinner, or in the shower, or dropping a load in the ceramic throne, or while watching the nightly news.
Regardless, within those last few hours of each day, some thought about the Word of God will inevitably flash through my brain, and form the basis of the next day’s “journal” entry.
If Jesus were a young woman, I’d probably be accused of being creepy at minimum, and potentially be arrested for stalking. At least I know He’ll never forget me (Isaiah 49:15).
And like St. Paul, I won’t bother passing judgement on my own worthiness (1 Corinthians 4:3), since I know it’ll come sooner rather than later.
But (please excuse the censored swearing) G-dd–nit I want to be with Jesus!
Is that weird?
Amen.