Word to the Wise
Monday, July 6, 2015 - Monday in the 14th Week in Ordinary Time
[Gen 28:10-22a and Matt 9:18-26]"Truly, the Lord is in this spot, although I did not know it!" In solemn wonder he cried out: "How awesome is this shrine! This is nothing else but an abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven.!" [Genesis]
The grand saga/narrative of God's plan continues to reveal itself in Jacob now. Today's first scripture tells the story of his famous dream: "Jacob's Ladder" In this dream God shows Jacob a stairway on which God's messengers are going up and down. Early Church fathers would use this image to describe the stages of spiritual life. In this story, however, it is a moment of covenant renewal between God and Jacob and his descendants.
Jacob was unaware, for some reason, that he was sleeping at a sacred shrine. Perhaps it had fallen into ruin because of the passage of time. His reaction is quoted above, and is used in the liturgy for the Consecration of a Church! Our own spiritual imagination can go beyond a given building or shrine (although there are many) to places of great beauty and wonder and leave us speaking as Jacob does: "Truly God is in this place!" The gateway to heaven may be very near us also if we retain our sense of God's presence. Jacob willhave another experience of God that we will learn about tomorrow! Stay tuned. AMEN