Daily Retreat 12/15/08
2008 Dec 15 Mon: Advent Weekday
Nm 24: 2-7. 15-17a/ Ps 24(25): 4-5ab. 6 and 7bc. 8-9/ Mt 21: 23-27
From today’s readings: “ A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel.... Teach me your ways, O Lord.... By what authority are you doing these things?”
Balaam’s Blessing
What do you do with blessings received from the hand of God? Every talent and ability you have was given to you by God so that you may fulfill the mission for which He created you. In other words, every blessing is meant to be shared in the service of God.
Balaam is a complex biblical character who is given a great blessing of prophecy from God. Sometimes he uses his gift faithfully in obedience to God (such as the blessing and prophecy in today’s reading), but at other times, he capitalized on his talents for his own greedy and selfish purposes (cf. Num 31:16, Deut 23:5, Neh 13:2, 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 11, Rev. 2:14). The comical incident of “Balaam’s Ass” (Num. 22:21-35) exposes his limitations: when working outside of divine direction, he proves himself more obtuse than his own donkey!
But when submitting to God’s will, he proves himself equal even to his own proud boast: in prophecy about the Israelites, he foresees the “rising star of Jacob,” which has been recognized as one of the earliest prophecies about the coming of the Messiah.
Which side of Balaam do you imitate in the use of your own God-given talents and blessings - working outside of divine direction, or submitting to God’s will?
Nm 24: 2-7. 15-17a/ Ps 24(25): 4-5ab. 6 and 7bc. 8-9/ Mt 21: 23-27
From today’s readings: “ A star shall advance from Jacob, and a staff shall rise from Israel.... Teach me your ways, O Lord.... By what authority are you doing these things?”
Balaam’s Blessing
What do you do with blessings received from the hand of God? Every talent and ability you have was given to you by God so that you may fulfill the mission for which He created you. In other words, every blessing is meant to be shared in the service of God.
Balaam is a complex biblical character who is given a great blessing of prophecy from God. Sometimes he uses his gift faithfully in obedience to God (such as the blessing and prophecy in today’s reading), but at other times, he capitalized on his talents for his own greedy and selfish purposes (cf. Num 31:16, Deut 23:5, Neh 13:2, 2 Peter 2:15, Jude 11, Rev. 2:14). The comical incident of “Balaam’s Ass” (Num. 22:21-35) exposes his limitations: when working outside of divine direction, he proves himself more obtuse than his own donkey!
But when submitting to God’s will, he proves himself equal even to his own proud boast: in prophecy about the Israelites, he foresees the “rising star of Jacob,” which has been recognized as one of the earliest prophecies about the coming of the Messiah.
Which side of Balaam do you imitate in the use of your own God-given talents and blessings - working outside of divine direction, or submitting to God’s will?
posted by FrPitstick | 12/13/2008
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