The word of God penetrates between soul and spirit
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Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
A reflection on the daily readings, for Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.
+ To some it is a curious thing to have a machine X-ray a part of your body.
Not just because this device is able to see through skin, body and bone and reveal an image, but also because those doing that X-ray then go into another room and hide behind a lead mat or device protecting them from the X-rays.
Makes one wonder if anything is happening to us beyond just getting a “picture” of our insides.
The word of God seems to be more than X-rays attempting a picture.
Described by this Letter to the Hebrews, the word of God is living, effective, and sharper than a two-edged sword. It penetrates between soul and spirit, between joints and marrow, and is able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
And more than just looking at us or getting an X-ray-like picture of us, this word and these words are “spirit and life,” and they in fact do give us spirit and life.
+ Question: If the doctor put the X-ray machine over a part of our body, but we were somehow able to secretly pull out of somewhere a leaden sheet-like thing to place between our body and the X-ray device, would it prevent the X-ray from doing its job and taking its “picture”?
Because it appears that the scribes did something similar to that.
They had leaden hearts and leaden minds; no matter what Jesus said or did, they were somehow able to prevent the word or the words from giving them spirit and life.
And yet, many prostitutes, tax collectors and sinners exposed themselves and their spirits, minds and their hearts to the word and the words; the result was that they received “spirit and life,” and that in super-abundance.
In fact, Jesus seemed to prefer to eat with sinners and tax collectors; he seemed to notice that they were more open and ready to see, hear and discover within their heart and between their bones and marrow this powerful and loving word of God.
+ As always, this powerful and loving word of God seeks to enter us!
Are we ready to receive? Are our eyes, ears and hearts open and inclined to discover what God wants to give and reveal?
How good to “come to the table,” literally and figuratively!
How good to “eat and drink” of the Lord’s goodness and love!
In the words of the author of Hebrews: “How good to approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.”
Father Perry D. Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com. Follow Father Perry on Twitter: @MrDeano76.
