Monday June 24, 2024

“Jesus’ salvation will reach others as long as you’re willing to serve him.”

Good News Reflection for:

Solemnity of the Nativity of John the Baptist
June 24, 2024

Today’s Prayer:

I praise and bless You, my Lord, because You want to write a new history in my life, due to Your great love for me. May the things You work in me be a motive of praise by all of those who, like me, are ardently waiting in You. Amen.

Powerful Daily Prayer & Reflection:
gnm.org/prayers/daily-prayer-and-reflection

Today’s Readings:

Isaiah 49:1-6
Ps 139:1b-3, 13-15
Acts 13:22-26
Luke 1:57-66, 80
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/062424.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/daily-mass-reading-podcast-june-24-2024

How are you like John the Baptist?

On this day that celebrates the birth of John the Baptist, look at how much you and John the Baptist are alike!

God assigned John’s vocation to him at his birth and gave him his name while he was still in his mother’s womb. The Lord did the same with you! Since the moment of your conception, even before you looked human and had a beating heart and a brain that could think, he named you as his precious child.

God gifted John with a sharp-edged sword, i.e., the ability to speak the truth (the sword of the Spirit), which cuts through the lies and deceptions of evil. He gave you the same gift during your baptism when you received the Holy Spirit.

God concealed John in the shadow of his arm, i.e., he protected him. No matter how difficult your life has been, and no matter how often you strayed from the Lord, you still belong to him. He is holding onto you.

Even though you sometimes toil in vain and your efforts to do God’s work seem worthless, as if you’ve uselessly spent your strength, like John, your reward is with the Lord. He will reward you generously.

No matter how ugly you think you are, no matter if you are too short or too tall or diseased or malformed by a birth defect, you look glorious to the Lord, your Creator. The verses of today’s responsorial Psalm confirm this: You are wonderfully made! Since the moment of your conception, your life has been precious and important.

As it was with John, God is your strength. And like John, what you think you can do is “too little” compared to what he knows you can do. He has a more important use for your gifts and talents and experiences and training. He wants to make his light shine through you! His salvation will reach others as long as you’re willing to serve him.

What our Gospel reading today tells us of John is true of you also: You are God’s child, growing and becoming strong in spirit. You have experienced the desert of hardships and training. Everything that has happened to you can become valuable and useful when you let God send you forth in service for his kingdom.

To help you reflect further on this, go to our WordByte called: “Turn Failure into Success” @ https://wordbytes.org/spiritual-growth/turning-failure-into-success.

2024 by Terry A. Modica

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