July 31, 2009, Friday St. Ignatius of Loyola

Read: Lv. 23: 1, 4-11,15-16, 27, 34-37 Mt. 13: 54-58

The ‘scribes’ or ‘teachers of the law,’ were the learned class of Israel, charged with teaching, interpreting and safeguarding conformity to the Law the Law of Moses.

Each of us has the charge of teaching the Kingdom. We need to be instructed in the ways of God in order to be ambassadors of His love to all who surround us.

As a master craftsman knows what is best to use in each instance from their storehouse of tools of the trade, so too must we search and understand the new things of the Gospel message of Jesus by understanding better the old things of the Hebrew scriptures.

The person who loves the Lord should know how to see the benefit in all the good that takes place in their life, but also should be able to see good even in the most adverse and painful conditions that might afflict them.

As baptized Christians, we share in the Spirit's gifts of prophecy. Yet we can only give what we have received.

Our intellect and senses were given to us, not so much for our own good, but for the good and service of others in the building up of the Kingdom of God.