Your Peace Ripples – Reflection on Matthew 10:7-15
Undoubtedly, Saint Francis of Assisi followed Jesus’s words to perfection. Jesus became present wherever St. Francis traveled because St. Francis was filled with grace, love, and peace. We all know humble people in our communities who, like Saint Francis, proclaim the nearness of heaven. They pray daily, are present for others, do good deeds, and are peace-filled, expecting nothing in return. Anyone with these qualities is a saintly person. Like them and those before, we are all uniquely invited to awaken to the here-and-now kingdom of heaven’s reality. As someone who studies the spirituality of scripture, I am convinced that peace and love are the centerpieces that visualize our spiritual nature. When you work on being saintly, your peace ripples will be left behind wherever you may go. Your ripples will also be full of Jesus’s love in the journey for you and others toward eternity with the Lord.
Ordaining of the Twelve Apostles, by James Tissot (full-resolution painting)
More details are available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
Additional Ordinary Time Reflections
Matthew 10:7-15 – Scripture*
7 As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment. 9 Take no gold, or silver, or copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, or two tunics, or sandals, or a staff; for laborers deserve their food. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet it. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel and reading this Lectio Divina on Matthew 10:7-15 Reflection – Your Peace Ripples.
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Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities experience your joy, peace, comfort, and love despite the world’s distractions.
Attributions
This site has written permission to use the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE) Bible for the passage of Matthew 10.
The Immersive Prayer website follows the guidelines for image web use at the Brooklyn Museum and the Jewish Museum websites.
Primary Lectio Divina word or phrase: Your Peace Ripples
Page and discussion group on these Lectio Divina daily Gospel Readings.
Discussion group on St. John of the Cross.