The Text I Didn't Send + Next Week’s Gospel Reflection
On choosing silence over reaction, followed by NEXT Sunday’s Gospel reflection and discussion questions
Note From Me: The Text I Didn’t Send
I typed out a message the other day.
It wasn’t terrible. It wasn’t cruel. But it was a little sharp. A little too quick, the kind of message that feels justified in the moment.
I read it over once. Twice. And then, I didn’t send it. I set my phone down and walked away.
Later, when I reconsidered it, the urgency was gone. The need to say it, to clarify, to respond, had softened. What had felt important in the moment no longer felt necessary.
Do you ever do this? Nothing bad happened because I didn’t send it. In fact, something good did.
I kept my peace. I avoided misunderstanding. I gave myself time to think, to pray, to choose something better, or even just to choose nothing at all.
We so often feel the need to respond immediately: Explain, defend, make sure we are understood. We might stumble onto an online conversation among others and feel a sudden urgency to share our own perspective IMMEDIATELY.
But not every thought needs to be shared. Not every reaction needs to be expressed. Sometimes wisdom looks like restraint. Sometimes the best thing we can say… is nothing.
“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth” (Psalm 141:3)
And over my text messages too.
With grace,
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Sunday Gospel Reflection: Lifted Eyes, Given Glory
Gospel for Sunday, May 17, 2026
John 17:1-11a
“Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your Son, so that your Son may glorify you.”
In this moment, Jesus lifts His eyes to heaven, not in desperation, but in deep trust. He knows what is coming. The suffering. The cross. The seeming defeat. And yet, He calls it glory.
That’s not how we usually think about glory.
