Jesus Christ – All in All
July 2, 2023: A Reflection for the 13th Sunday in OT, Yr A
Matthew 10:37-42
Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. (Mt 10:39)
Love, rewards, gifts, finding and losing, serving –what a rich Gospel we have today! What is it that is the well-spring from which it all bubbles forth and flows into our lives? To sum it up, we could use St. Paul’s words from Colossians 3:11, “Christ is all and in all.” Jesus is revealing to his disciples the centrality of the presence of God. Everything is filled with the presence of God. We live and move and have our being in Jesus who fills all creation. That means you and me, and all that exists is held gently and mightily in the hands of a God whose essence is love and who longs for our love in return.
We return the love which holds us in being by loving and caring for one another, for our beautiful planet, for everything which comes from the creative hand of God. That is why Jesus can say that whenever we welcome a person we also welcome the God who is all in all. When we offer even a cup of water to someone, we are honoring and loving not only that person but also the God who created her or him.
The reward which we will receive and of which Jesus speaks is the reward of transformation into the likeness of Jesus, into a sharing of his love. To reach out in service, in the generous gift of our time, our talents, our hearts can be a struggle sometimes, as we all know. And so Jesus lets us know that if we really believe that he is truly all in all, there will be the cross. We will be stretched to let God into our lives and hearts in whatever way he comes.
Jesus describes it as feeling like we are losing our life, but when we lose our life in him, we discover who we really are. “Amen, I say to you, that person will surely not lose his or her reward.” It will be given in God’s time—pressed down, shaken together, running over—poured into our hearts.
May the God who is all in all, be your reward, your joy, your lasting peace.