Wednesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Working night and day in order not to burden any of you, we proclaimed to you the Gospel of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:9b

So far this week in the First Readings of the Mass, we have been hearing from a letter that was written by the legendary missionaries Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. They were addressing a small community of believers that they had founded in and around Thessalonica in Greece.

After greeting them with grace and peace; and after giving thanks to God for their faith, hope, and love—Paul reminds them of how their relationship began. These missionaries were different: they were sincere and self-supporting. They shared not only the Gospel but also their personal lives. (1 Thes. 2:8) And they worked during the day to sustain themselves like everybody else—and yet they ministered to the people in the evening after the day’s work.

Christian ministry or pastoral work is actually work. It takes effort, time, and energy. It also demands knowledge of the faith and experience over time, and can greatly benefit from training or education. People can even get a master’s degree in it (like my mom did!). This line of work has been institutionalized and systematized since the time St. Paul first set out into the unknown worlds of Gentile lands to preach the Gospel of God.

For Today:
Reflect on the time when you voluntarily ministered at your church or somewhere else. Or perhaps it’s been a while. Did you enjoy it? Or was it a drudgery? Pray about your feelings or approach toward ministry or pastoral work. Consider going back, trying something new, or pursuing further training or education—for the sake of Christ and His Kingdom.

Reflection by Br. Luke Kral, OSB