14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

It is time to seek the Lord.

Idolatry was everywhere. Israel had begun to place their faith in military strength and foreign alliances instead of trusting in God.   At the same time, they began erecting altars and offering sacrifices to honor Baal, the pagan god of fertility (Hosea 10:1).   How could God’s precious chosen people have fallen so low?

The truth is, we all have a tendency to worship “false gods,” sometimes without even realizing it.   It happens when we let anything take priority over the Lord.   When we allow other things to grab our attention or our hearts more than God, or when we seek our joy and comfort in things God has created more than in God himself, we have in essence made them idols.

What’s the solution?   Hosea tells the people, quite simply, “It is time to seek the Lord” (10:12).   Seek the Lord when you cling to your own strength instead of relying on God’s grace.   Seek the Lord when you find yourself rearranging your schedule to fit in more screen time and end up squeezing out your prayer time.   Seek the Lord when you realize you are doing things to please other people because you care more about their opinion of you than what God thinks.   Seek the Lord when you are tempted to place career success above time with your family.

Today, make time to seek the Lord. Ask him, “What things am I tempted to place before you?   What can I do to put you first?”   By asking these questions on a regular basis, God can open your eyes and heart to show you what steps you might need to take to knock those “gods” off their pedestals.   It might mean easing up on Netflix for a few weeks to spend extra time in prayer.   It might mean making it a point to go to Confession on a regular basis.   Or it might mean putting a little extra money into the poor box after Mass.

It is always a good time to seek the Lord.   As you do, he will show you how you can place him at the center of your life.

“Lord, what am I tempted to place above you?   Show me how to make a change.”

Psalm 105:2-7
Matthew 10:1-7