May · Day 10
Longing for the milk of the Word
Reading
Practical meditation
Peter first calls us to put away malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Before speaking of the desire for the Word, he deals with what contaminates the heart. The life of the spirit does not flourish in a soul occupied by poison.
Like newborn infants, we are called to long for the pure spiritual milk so that we may grow in life. The Word is not merely study material or the language of a meeting. It is food: it must enter us, be assimilated by the spirit, and produce organic growth.
We want growth without putting anything away, revelation without inward cleansing, maturity without dependence. But Peter puts things in order: first strip off what makes the soul sick, then desire what nourishes. Whoever has tasted that the Lord is good is not satisfied with food that does not give life.
Examine
Have I desired the Word as living food, or have I merely treated it as religious information?
Prayer
Lord, awaken in me hunger for your Word. Remove the poison that occupies my soul and cause your Word to be assimilated in my spirit as living food. Lead me to taste your goodness again and to grow in life. Amen.
Practice
Let us observe what has been feeding our soul in recent days. Let us put away one source of noise or contamination and set aside time to receive the Word with simplicity and hunger.