Don't Fight God: Spend 5 with Jesus: April 21, 2023

Today's first reading helps me to understand the definition of a statesman. We don't have too many of them today. That is to say, a highly respected person who is able to have a calm, rational discussion about a controversial topic. Today in the first reading, it is Gamaliel. The Sadducees find themselves becoming jealous and angry about the religious challenge from the apostles. The choice: Let it die out or fight God.

Readings for Today

Don’t Fight God

If this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

Today’s first reading helps me to understand the definition of a statesman. We don’t have too many of them today. That is to say, a highly respected person who is able to have a calm, rational discussion about a controversial topic. Today in the first reading, it is Gamaliel. The Sadducees find themselves becoming jealous and angry about the religious challenge from the apostles. The choice: Let it die out or fight God.

It is a reminder that in everything in life we are about discernment. Too often we limit this term to thinking about a religious vocation. But in truth, discernment is about Christian life. Should I do this or that? Should I take this action or that action?

Discernment is always about seeking to find the presence of God in things that are good. We discern between good things. (If there is a question of doing something good or something bad there is no discernment. We always should choose the good.) Effective discernment means always seeking to find the person of God in all we do.

But too often I know that I do not follow the wise counsel of Gamaliel. I try to think that somehow I can fight God. I can know what I am supposed to do, what God wants me to do, and yet, I fight God. I try to do things my way, on my own, by myself. I do not spend anywhere near enough time to seek God.

When we look at the gospel, we see what happens when we work with God instead of trying to fight God. One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Andrew does not know what will happen, but he suggests to Jesus the only thing he can think of doing.

And this is the best advice. Just give God a little bit of space. He’ll do the rest.

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