Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
St. Thomas Aquinas was a brilliant theologian and philosopher. In his day, he was known for his preaching and moral teaching. Occasionally, he also had some fantastic practical advice. One piece of advice he gave when someone was sad was to indulge, prudently, in something you like, allow yourself a good cry, share your sorrow with a friend, contemplate truth, and then, most importantly, have a good nap and a bath. Sometimes, sadness results from feeling physically and psychologically overwhelmed, simply put, being worn out. Elijah finds himself on edge. Running for his life from Jezebel—he killed all her false prophets and priests—Elijah had nothing left. Worn out, Elijah begged for death, “Lord, let me die!” After being told to eat and drink, he was refreshed and journeyed to Mount Horeb.
We are often on edge because of the challenges and struggles with life. We work hard. We give. We sacrifice. We also are weighed down by fear and sin. This takes a physical and spiritual toll on us; we need renewal. When it comes to physical exhaustion, take St. Thomas’ advice. For spiritual exhaustion, let us see what Christ says to us.
The spiritual life is a journey toward heaven. Any journey requires food, but the journey toward heaven needs much more. When we feel spiritually exhausted, it is often because we are not being sustained by Christ’s Word or his body. In our Gospel, Jesus says that anyone who comes to him and eats the bread of heaven will live forever. When we eat his flesh in the Eucharist, our lives are refreshed for the journey. In this, our strength is sustained by his strength; our hope is sustained by his faithfulness; our fear is overcome by his courage; our tiredness becomes his fortitude.
Encounter Christ and be renewed.
Reflection by Fr. Etienne Huard, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections