Can you hear the Word of God speaking to you? Can you see what He wants to show you? Can you prophesy? Yes you can and can do far greater things!
For all these are come from the depths of our relationship and fidelity to the Lord our God. When we accept that authority is His alone and we truly worship Him as Lord of lords, King of kings. Then He will surely speak to us all the time and in many varied ways. We will be in constant awe and filled with His presence.
Yes the Lord our God can use a sinner, to share insights of His grace, mercy, even plans. For even Balaam had a vision of the coming of Christ! However our Lord does not want us to simply participate, but to be fully united with Him so that One with Him we will experience the fullness of life and in His glory!
Free me Lord from all evil and sin, so that I may see what You want me to see, hear what You want me to hear and do what You want me to do, always in Your presence. Amen
First reading
Numbers 24:2-7,15-17 ·
The oracles of Balaam
Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,
the oracle of one who hears the word of God.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see,
receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
How fair are your tents, O Jacob!
How fair your dwellings, Israel!
Like valleys that stretch afar,
like gardens by the banks of a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters!
A hero arises from their stock,
he reigns over countless peoples.
His king is greater than Agag,
his majesty is exalted.’
Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said:
‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,
the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,
the oracle of one who hears the word of God,
of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High.
He sees what Shaddai makes him see,
receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.
I see him – but not in the present,
I behold him – but not close at hand:
a star from Jacob takes the leadership,
a sceptre arises from Israel.’
Gospel
Matthew 21:23-27
‘I will not tell you my authority for acting like this’
Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’
CatholicJules.net 