Welcoming the Holy

Here we invite you to take time for yourself in personal prayer. The following spiritual reflection offers words and images which we hope will evoke for you an experience of God.

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By: Sister Susan Schantz

Reading                               

Numbers 11:25-29

The Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Taking some of the Spirit that was on Moses, the Lord bestowed it on the seventy elders; and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied. Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad, were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp. They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent; yet the spirit came to rest on them also, and they prophesied in the camp. So, when a young man quickly told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp,” Joshua, son of Nun, who from his youth had been Moses’ aide, said “Moses, my lord, stop them.” But Moses answered him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the people of the Lord were prophets! Would that the Lord might bestow his spirit on them all!”

Reflection

The September 29 reading from Numbers 11:25-29 describes a dilemma shared by many communities of faith.  Groups develop practices about leading prayer, teaching the faith, preaching, and faith sharing. Some Christian communities, including Catholicism, have developed a hierarchical structure, emphasizing the continuity with Jesus’ first disciples through ordained ministers.

There are some periods, like this post Vatican II era, when the Spirit radically refreshes our understanding of the baptismal call of each of the faithful. The ordained are called to lead the faithful in being Christ for our world. Moses’ words can become our prayer for our Church.

Closing Prayer

Jesus, each of the baptized is called to follow you in mission to our world. Help us to challenge and support each other in this call and this mission. Amen.