At Peace – Reflection on Matthew 19:23-30
To deny desires beyond the adequate creates space in your mind and heart that God values and fills with love. It is a circuitous process as when we go in the wrong direction by not keeping God on top of our minds, our internal love weakens, and our human desires rise to the surface. As the saying goes, “we are only human,” but it should be “when we are only human.” Because when we become weak in faith, our connection to Divinity wanes, so our sense of being both human and divine diminishes. In my own weak experiences, I can see that, in retrospect, although I felt worldly, love had slipped away. When I trust God, I know the divine within surfaces, and I become more at peace and hopeful. Consider that your own knowledge and experience can be a foretaste of heaven.
The First Shall Be Last by James Tissot (full resolution painting)
More details at available on the Brooklyn Museum website.
Additional Ordinary Time Reflections
Matthew 19:23-30 – Scripture*
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astounded and said, “Then who can be saved?” 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”
27 Then Peter said in reply, “Look, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” 28 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
Additional Thoughts
Thank you for meditating on this Gospel reading and considering this Matthew 19:23-30 Reflection – At Peace and Hopeful.
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Prayer for young families:
Lord, let the young families of our communities get to know 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 Matthew 19 Bible passage.
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