Today’s Word — Luke 7:31-35

There’s no pleasing some people. If Jesus had come like John the Baptist, fasting and furious, they would have said he was possessed by demons. But if he came eating and drinking, loving life and people, they would say he is a glutton and a drunkard. And in fact, they said both.

How hard it is to please some people.

They want him to lay down the law. They want him to just overlook their sins.

They want him to fix all their problems. They don’t want him to tell them what to do.

They want him to be their good Shepherd. They want him to get even for them with their crabby neighbours and sworn enemies. 

How hard it is to please me sometimes too.

I want what I want and I want him to be what I want. Compassionate, forgiving, caring, providing, kindly old man. But not too demanding. I want him to dance to my tune, too, and do what I want him to do.

How hard it is to let Jesus be Jesus. I want to shape him after my image, not me after his.

But Master, you will not be tamed. Which is scary because, given my sinfulness, I am afraid that you will pounce on me and eat me. Please forgive me. Help me to trust in your goodness and accept what you will do with me.  Help me to accept you for who you are. And do what you would have me to do.

For though you are not tame, you are good.

2025/09/17 — Image generated with ChatGPT (OpenAI). Today’s Word from today’s daily mass reading. Other words by Tim Booth.