7th Week in Ordinary Time
In fire gold and silver are tested, and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation. (Sirach 2:5)
Did you know that the ancient method of refining precious metals is still practiced today? Craftsmen still subject gold or silver to intense heat in a metal container called a crucible until it melts. Then the hot, molten metal is carefully stirred, and the impurities that rise to the top are skimmed off. The process was, and still is, dangerous, time consuming, and painstaking. But what emerges is beautiful, lustrous, and of great worth.
In times of adversity, we may feel as if we’re trapped in a fiery hot crucible. And far more often than when life is going smoothly, the heat of our trials can cause sinful thoughts, attitudes, and actions to bubble up to the surface.
Fortunately for us, Jesus is a skilled craftsman who knows how to refine us. He is sitting patiently by the cauldron with a watchful eye and skilled hand, carefully and meticulously removing every little impurity that floats to the surface.
Sometimes it’s painful to see these impurities bubble up in us. We may even want to ignore or hide some of them because we’re embarrassed or afraid of God’s reaction to them. He sees all of them, of course, so our best response to his work of refining us is to cooperate with him. Let those impurities see the light of day so that the Master Refiner can skim them away.
Let’s say you’re feeling exhausted or stressed, and you end up reacting harshly to a family member who needs your help. Don’t hide in shame! Don’t make excuses for yourself! Just bring that over-the-top reaction to the Lord. Ask him, and the person you have hurt, to forgive you. It may be uncomfortable, but that’s what refining is all about. Keep the end result in mind, and that will make it easier.
God doesn’t cause our difficult circumstances, but he can bring good out of them—and he often does. So when you find yourself in a fiery furnace, try to cooperate with him. Let those impurities come out so that he can skim them away. Over time, your life will shine—not with fake gold, but with the real gold of Christ.
“Lord, give me patience whenever I find myself in a ‘crucible of faith.’ Help me to stay close to you so that you can continue to purify me.”
Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Mark 9:30-37
