Choosing God First

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to put God first in our humble recognition that fullness in mission and life is in harmony with Divine Will.

Priority for Full Life

The Reading from the Prophet Haggai is a Prophetic Call to Work on the Temple.

* [1:1] First day of the sixth month in the second year: August 29, 520 B.C. This is the first of six chronological indicators in Haggai. Darius: Darius I, emperor of Persia from 522 to 486 B.C. Governor: term used for local rulers of provinces in the Persian imperial structure. Zerubbabel: grandson of King Jehoiachin (cf. 2 Kgs 24:8–17).

* [1:4] Your paneled houses…house lies in ruins: the contrast here is between the unfinished Temple and the completed houses of the Judeans.

* [1:5] Reflect on your experience: the prophet exhorts the people to consider the futility of their efforts as a result of their neglecting work on the Temple. The following verses call attention to harsh conditions in Judah after the return from exile and the preoccupation of the people with their personal concerns.

* [1:8] That I may be glorified: for the prophet, the rebuilding of the Temple restores the glory God had lost in the eyes of the nations by the Temple’s destruction. (Haggai, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 149 celebrates that the Lord takes delight in his people.

 

* [Psalm 149] A hymn inviting the people of Israel to celebrate their God in song and festive dance (Ps 149:1–3, 5) because God has chosen them and given them victory (Ps 149:4). The exodus and conquest are the defining acts of Israel; the people must be ready to do again those acts in the future at the divine command (Ps 149:6–9). (Psalms, PSALM 149, n.d.)

The Gospel of Luke explores Herod’s Opinion of Jesus.

* [9:7–56] This section in which Luke gathers together incidents that focus on the identity of Jesus is introduced by a question that Herod is made to ask in this gospel: “Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”(Lk 9:9) In subsequent episodes, Luke reveals to the reader various answers to Herod’s question: Jesus is one in whom God’s power is present and who provides for the needs of God’s people (Lk 9:10–17); Peter declares Jesus to be “the Messiah of God” (Lk 9:18–21); Jesus says he is the suffering Son of Man (Lk 9:22, 43–45); Jesus is the Master to be followed, even to death (Lk 9:23–27); Jesus is God’s son, his Chosen One (Lk 9:28–36).

* [9:7] Herod the tetrarch: see note on Lk 3:1.

* [9:9] And he kept trying to see him: this indication of Herod’s interest in Jesus prepares for Lk 13:31–33 and for Lk 23:8–12 where Herod’s curiosity about Jesus’ power to perform miracles remains unsatisfied. (Luke, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)

Larry Hopp comments that our priorities are important. They reflect our character and what we feel is worthy of our time and attention. They are an accurate gauge of our heart.

As I consider what I put first in my life, I shutter at how God views me. Of course the world is OK with my choices. What I do, think, and say, every single day, is often precisely what the world expects. But that is simply NOT ACCEPTABLE. As today’s Gospel in John reminds us, the world will never understand how crucial it is to put Jesus first in our life each and every day. The resulting peace and joy of the Lord is simply incredible ! ! Only with the Lord as our top priority, can we indeed be effectively used by Him. Our life can truly point to Jesus. His powerful light can indeed shine through our lives. We can become the person that God created us to be.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in humility. I have not consistently put you first and foremost in my life. I want to be the man you created me to be. I truly want your light to shine through all of my thoughts, my words, and my actions. Please forgive me when I have allowed the world to influence me. Help me to faithfully keep my constant focus upon you and you alone. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen (Hopp, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Integrity is a hardship for the morally corrupt,” by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD).

 

"John aroused Herod by his moral admonitions, not by any formal accusation. He wanted to correct, not to suppress. Herod, however, preferred to suppress rather than be reconciled. To those who are held captive, the freedom of the one innocent of wrongdoing becomes hateful. Virtue is undesirable to those who are immoral; holiness is abhorrent to those who are impious; chastity is an enemy to those who are impure; integrity is a hardship for those who are corrupt; frugality runs counter to those who are self-indulgent; mercy is intolerable to those who are cruel, as is loving-kindness to those who are pitiless and justice to those who are unjust. The Evangelist indicates this when he says, "John said to him, 'It is not lawful for you to have the wife of your brother Philip.'" This is where John runs into trouble. He who admonishes those who are evil gives offense. He who repudiates wrongdoers runs into trouble. John was saying what was proper of the law, what was proper of justice, what was proper of salvation and what was proper certainly not of hatred but of love. And look at the reward he received from the ungodly for his loving concern!" (excerpt from SERMONS 127.6-7)

[Peter Chrysologus, 400-450 AD, was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century] (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes the time period of Haggi and Ezra with Haggi writing right after the return from exile in Babylon and criticizing the people who have taken care of themselves but not the Temple of the Lord. Haggi asserts they need God at the centre of their lives. The son of King Herod has heard of Jesus but doesn’t know who He is. Friar Jude comments that, in Luke’s Gospel, Pilate sends Jesus to Herod before His crucifixion.

Fr. Mike Schmitz continues to take us through the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and the importance of moving on from the past to see what God is doing in our lives right now.

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces activist and organizer Paul Engler who connects nonviolence and the contemplative path.

Our Earth, once assumed infinite in its bounty, now groans under the weight of extractive systems that for the first time in history hit their limits of total expansion. Climate change is just the tip of the iceberg. We are entering the sixth mass extinction. Ecosystems are collapsing. The coral reefs are dying, the forests are being cut, and over the last 80 years half of bird, and over half of fish populations have been wiped out. The canary in the coal mine is indeed dying. A third of the planet may soon experience drought annually. And still, the dominant culture accelerates forward—driven by a propaganda machine of individualism and consumerism.  

Even astronauts, peering back at Earth as a blue marble suspended in darkness, speak of a revelation: that Eden is not a myth but a fragile truth we’ve exiled ourselves from.  

Contemplation—whether through the Christian mystics, Buddhist mindfulness, or Indigenous ceremony—reveals this loss. And it invites us into the paschal mystery: a cycle of life, death, and resurrection that Jesus lived, not only as theology, but as cosmic pattern. What if the streams of contemplation and nonviolent resistance merged? What if our movements toward personal healing were also movements toward systemic transformation? To live the Gospel fully is to embrace both. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the disorder and chaos that comes to our environment when we place our gratification and glorification above the humility and surrender that opens the door for the Peace of the Lord to bring fullness and joy to our lives.

References

Haggai, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 25, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/haggai/1?1 

Hopp, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved September 25, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-september-25-2025 

Luke, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 25, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/9 

Psalms, PSALM 149. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 25, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/149?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Contemplation and Nonviolence. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 25, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/contemplation-and-nonviolence/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Suppressing Truth to Ease a Guilty Conscience. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 25, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=sep25 

Humble Testimony

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today testify to the Nature of Christ and exhort us to act in recognition of our healing to be workers in His Vineyard.

Humble Healing

The reading from the First Letter of John presents testimony concerning the Son of God.

* [5:6–12] Water and blood (1 Jn 5:6) refers to Christ’s baptism (Mt 3:16–17) and to the shedding of his blood on the cross (Jn 19:34). The Spirit was present at the baptism (Mt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; Jn 1:32, 34). The testimony to Christ as the Son of God is confirmed by divine witness (1 Jn 5:7–9), greater by far than the two legally required human witnesses (Dt 17:6). To deny this is to deny God’s truth; cf. Jn 8:17–18. The gist of the divine witness or testimony is that eternal life (1 Jn 5:11–12) is given in Christ and nowhere else. To possess the Son is not acceptance of a doctrine but of a person who lives now and provides life. (1 John, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 147 offers praise for God’s Care for Jerusalem.

* [Psalm 147] The hymn is divided into three sections by the calls to praise in Ps 147:1, 7, 12. The first section praises the powerful creator who restores exiled Judah (Ps 147:1–6); the second section, the creator who provides food to animals and human beings; the third and climactic section exhorts the holy city to recognize it has been re-created and made the place of disclosure for God’s word, a word as life-giving as water. (Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus Cleanses a Leper.

* [5:12] Full of leprosy: see note on Mk 1:40.

* [5:14] Show yourself to the priest…what Moses prescribed: this is a reference to Lv 14:2–9 that gives detailed instructions for the purification of one who had been a victim of leprosy and thereby excluded from contact with others (see Lv 13:45–46, 49; Nm 5:2–3). That will be proof for them: see note on Mt 8:4. (Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Steve Scholer asks what ever happened to good old humility? Sad but true, the world of today equates humility with someone who is unsure of themselves or has low self-esteem.

If our goal is to live a more Christ-centered life, then we must learn to temper our egos. We must surrender ourselves to God’s will. In so doing, we are affirming God’s omnipotent hand in all we do, each day of our lives. With humility comes a grateful heart, as we become more and more aware of the blessings that God bestows on us. By practicing this simple act, we will nurture and grow our faith.

So, as we continue on in this all too messy world, let us find our own deserted place to pray, to humbly reflect on our flaws and also on our talents, and what we can do to correct or grow them so we can better serve the Lord. Hopefully, by nurturing our own humility, we will become more Christ-like, more willing to forgive, more open to the views of others, more engaged in serving others with our time, talent and treasure.

So with humility lets pray…..

Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me.

- Ignatius Loyola (Scholer, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Jesus' healing demonstrates the power of the kingdom of heaven,” by Ambrose of Milan, 339-397 A.D.

"The authority of power in the Lord is here compared with the steadfastness of faith manifest in the leper (Luke 5:12-13). He fell on his face because it is a mark of humility and modesty that each feel shame for the sins of his life, but shyness did not restrict his confession. He showed the wound, he begged for the remedy, and the very confession is full of piety and faith. 'If you will,' it says, 'you can make me clean'" He conceded the power to the Lord's will. But he doubted concerning the Lord's will, not as if unbelieving in piety, but as if aware of his own impurity, he did not presume. The Lord replies to him with a certain holiness. 'I will: be clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him.' For there is nothing between God's command and his work, because the work is in the command. Thus he spoke, and they came into being (Psalm 33:9). You see that it cannot be doubted that the will of God is power. If, therefore, his will is power, those who affirm that the Trinity is of One will affirm that it is of one power. Thus the leprosy departed immediately. In order that you may understand the effect of healing, he added truth to the work." (excerpt from EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE 5.2-3) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 5:12-16 comments that just as diseases like leprosy separated sufferers from their community, sin can separate us from those around us. It also separates us from Jesus, the very One who is so eager to heal our hearts.

Jesus’ hand is always outstretched. He is always ready to heal us—and to give us the strength to turn away from sin. Today’s Gospel is proof that we can meet Jesus just as we are right now, even if we are “full” of sin (Luke 5:12). You don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to eliminate every sinful habit, personal struggle, and doubt before he will love you. He is waiting for you to turn to him and say, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean” (5:12).

“Lord, please heal anything that is separating me from you and my loved ones.” (Meditation on Luke 5:12-16, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the victory of Jesus proclaimed in 1 John over those people in the world who reject the love of God. The symbols of water and blood represent Baptism and Eucharist as Sacraments of eternal life.  Friar Jude notes that Jesus' healing action connects with realised eschatology that occurs when Jesus enters our lives.

Brian McLaren, at the recent Students of Life conference, encouraged the CAC community to practice “engaged contemplation” as a way to participate in a movement for healing, justice, and peace in the world.

We are so blessed in the Christian tradition to have so many amazing leaders and teachers who have been creating circles of healing and peace for generations. It is truly inspiring to learn from their examples. But our job is not only to learn from them, but more: to join them in this ongoing work in the world. Marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and climate activist Katharine K. Wilkinson write, “Let’s move forward with love, not conquest; humility, not righteousness; generous curiosity, not hardened assumptions. It is a magnificent thing to be alive in a moment that matters so much. Let’s proceed with broken-open hearts, seeking truth, summoning courage, and focused on solutions.” [1] 

Can we accept this magnificent opportunity? To be alive in a moment that matters so much? Dare we believe that this contemplative work and exploration and study that we’re engaged with is not to just make us happier people, but rather to help us be partners together in loving action? 

[1] Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, “Onward.” in All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis (One World, 2020), 374. (McLaren, n.d.)

We are grateful for the talents and opportunities we have received and we seek the guidance of the Spirit as we move forward with our healing to care for the people and world around us.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/5?12 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Participating Today. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/participating-today/ 

Meditation on Luke 5:12-16. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/01/10/1177162/ 

1 John, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/5?5 

Psalms, PSALM 147 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/147?12 

Scholer, S. (2025, January 10). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/011025.html 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lord, You Can Make Me Clean. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jan10