All things for the good
From today’s Scripture: “Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.’”—Mk 4:21-22
it’s the first sentence of today’s Scripture that always catches my attention. It reminds me to share my gifts and talents with the world to advance the Gospel. And this is certainly important to emphasize, both to ourselves and our fellow Christians. But this time, it was the second sentence that caught my attention. It suggests to me that even the parts of ourselves that we would like to hide should be shared.
Just think of the example of Paul. Before encountering Christ, he had been a strong persecutor of Christians. And yet, this part of his life story became a compelling part of his ministry as an evangelist. So God can use all things for good, even the parts we want to hide and not bring to light.
Let us pray: Jesus, shine your light into the darkest corners of my life today, so that I may be more fully able to use my gifts and talents to build up your kingdom.
Today’s author is Julia Sauter, a member of Glenmary’s Development team. She holds an M.A. in theology from Santa Clara University. This week’s reflections are also in Spanish, available by email.