When did we see you hungry, or thirsty? When did we see you naked or visit you? The gospel from Mass on Monday came to mind as I read about Saint John, whose memorial we celebrate today. At the age of 40, wracked by guilt over what he considered a wasted life, John sought spiritual guidance.
And through prayer, Saint John experienced a conversion and dedicated his life to the care of the sick and poor. Others joined him and they became known as the order of Brothers Hospitallers of Saint John of God. Not all of us will be called to do what John of God did, but all of us are called to put our prayer into action when we see others who are hungry, thirsty, or sick.
The Scriptures today offer us some helpful incites about prayer, one of the three pillars of our Lenten observance. God described prayer as his word coming forth from him to us like rain that soaks the earth. In soaking the earth, we are also soaked, drenched with his mercy, love, protection, and blessing.
Not only does his word come to us as rain but also as snow. Understanding God’s word coming to us as snow may be lost on some who are unfamiliar with snow but not so with farmers here in the Northeast and other areas of our planet where snow is to be found. For the farmer in rural Vermont, snow is poor man’s fertilizer. In winter it covers the fields maintaining its moisture that eventually makes ready the soil for planting and growth. That’s what God’s word does that comes down to us as snow.
The power of God’s word penetrates all that it touches. It enriches all that it soaks. What God asks of us is to make use of what he sends us. Don’t bury the gift that has been given to us rather let us discover the richness waiting to be found. The gift to be found will not be gold or precious minerals rather the gift will be revealed to us when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty and clothe those in need. The gift will be revealed through our prayer in action.
God’s word that falls from the heavens and soaks the earth will require our cooperation if we are to fully experience its power. It is prayer that will allow us to engage God and hear his word. Lest we think that prayer is beyond our ability, Jesus provides us today with a guide that is at the same time simple yet profound, a prayer that invites us to give God the glory that he alone deserves, to pledge to God our participation in building up his kingdom here on earth, to seek forgiveness but also extend it, and work tirelessly to resist negative thoughts and actions that only serve to undermine our efforts to be holy as He is holy.
