Steven M Schisler
Jul 10, 2017 · 3 min read

My kids had all asked me what I wanted for Christmas one year. I think I may have given them a pretty vague list, except for gift cards for a certain outdoors gear store, because I had a hodge-pudge of things from there I was coveting. When my birthday came, I was pretty surprised to only get one such gift card, and was not so much disappointed, because I got some very thoughtful gifts instead. But now I had to try to save my “allowance” to get the things I had set my mind on earlier. Being presumptive often leaves us disappointed or makes us rethink our position on something. I’ve seen guys just know that they will get that promotion or raise, only to be surprised in a bad way. One man I knew while working, was expecting (and telling us he was going to get) a raise a promotion and he was unceremoniously fired instead!

In our mass readings (GN 28:10–22A, MT 9:18–26) we get two seemingly unconnected readings. In our first reading, Jacob stops for the night in a foreign shrine and uses one of the shrine’s stones as a pillow. He dreams of seeing angels going up and down a stairway back and forth from heaven to earth. The Lord stood next to him and promised that this land would be his inheritance forever, and that He would never leave him. Jacob then prays and says that if God is good to him, gives him plenty to eat, and he is safe and prospers on this trip, then He will be Jacob’s God! In our Gospel, Jesus is approached by an official to come to his house and heal his child. On the way there, a hemorrhaging woman sneaks up and touched the tassel of Jesus’ cloak and is healed. Jesus gets to the official’s house to find the child already dead with mourners present. He send away the mourners and brought the child back to life.

Being presumptive with people in life usually sets us up for disappointment. But in our spiritual lives, God wants us to be a bit presumptive. It indicates a measure of faith. Not presumptive like “I’m so good, and God loves me so much that I can just do whatever I want”; not presumptive like, “I’m so bad, God couldn’t love me, so why even try”; but more like, “God loves me so much, I know He wants what’s best for me, so I’ll ask Him to help me with this”. Jacob, even after being told by God that He would bless him, doesn’t presume to believe he has the message right. He needs to see proof. The official coming to Jesus, presumes that He will come to and can heal his daughter. The mourners presume that Jesus is too late and powerless to change things. The hemorrhaging woman presumes that Jesus has the power to heal and that its just there for the taking. I think God wants us to have faith and the presumptive attitude of the official and the woman, along with the cautiousness of Jacob. When God speaks to us in a veiled way, not loud and clear, we need to test the messages we receive in faith against God’s Word. That’s not the same as not having faith, it’s discernment of spirits. Jacob was doing just that in a very elementary way. Presuming things that are facts, like that we are made in God’s image and loved by Him is basis for a larger fact. The larger fact is God wants us to ask Him for His Providence, Healing, Mercy and Salvation. Peace and All Good, my friends!

Steven M Schisler

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Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Catholic Deacon, Secular Franciscan, Outdoorsman, Adventurer, Retired/Disabled Electrician/Field Superintendent/Project Manager/Vice-Pres