Connections between today's Bible readings, clothing, music, life...; a challenge to dress our own lives (Col 3:12-14)
October 21, 2015
Oct. 21
October 21, 2015: Wednesday, 29th week, Ordinary Time
'Sword' tie pin: Present the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. (1st reading)
'Girl with heart' pin: Thanks God that you've become obedient from the heart to the teaching entrusted to you (1st reading)
Blue in shirt: Had not the Lord been with us, the waters would have overwhelmed us (psalm)
'Birds' tie: We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare (psalm)
NEW 'Clocks' suspenders: If the master had known when the thief was coming, he wouldn't have let his house be broken into. The Son will come at an hour you don't expect. (gospel)
The family lives out the promise of love and fidelity that a man and woman make to each other, a promise that unites families across generations and extends to the whole human family. Though these days it's called into question and seen as opposed to personal freedom, actually our freedom is shaped and sustained by fidelity to our choices and commitments. Fidelity grows through daily effort; indeed, fidelity is a supreme expression of our dignity as human beings. It involves the couple's commitment to welcome and educate their children; but it's also fulfilled in caring for parents and weaker family members, helping one another achieve their potential and accept the limits of each. There's no greater school of virtue than the family. Families are a blessing for our world; the love the family is based on points to the love between Christ and his Church.
Rom 6:12-18Sin must not reign over your bodies so that you obey their desires. Present yourselves to God as raised to life, and present your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. Sin is not to have power over you, since you're under grace, not the law. You're slaves, either of sin and death or of obedience and righteousness. Thanks be to God that you've become slaves of righteousness.
Ps 124:1b-8"Our help is in the name of the Lord." If the Lord hadn't been with us, we would've been swallowed alive. Blessed be the Lord, who rescued us.
Lk 12:39-48“If the master had known when the thief was coming, he wouldn't have let his house be broken into. Be prepared; the Son of Man will come when you don't expect.” “Who's the faithful and prudent steward the master will put in charge? Blessed is the one his master finds ready; he'll will put him in charge. But if he says, ‘My master is delayed’ and beats the servants and gets drunk, the master will come unexpectedly and punish him severely. Much will be required of the one entrusted with much, and more will be demanded of the one entrusted with more.”
Reflect
Creighton: The disciples are called to live in light of the end-time, Jesus’ absence and return, faithful to the Lord and attentive to his upcoming return and judgment. 'Parousia,' which we use for the second coming and last judgment, is Greek for 'adventus' (Latin). We can describe preparation for the second coming like for a second birth; what was hidden is finally revealed. Living in light of the end-time/second coming is surrender to Christ, to allow the Spirit to form, heal, and remake you so you we can receive Christ.
One Bread One Body: "Making friends": Every human being is by nature a slave ("doing your own thing" is a deception), but we can choose whose slaves we'll be. If we choose to be Jesus' slave, we'll be exalted. Jesus will no longer call us slaves but friends. The way to friendship with Jesus is through slavery to him; Jesus "emptied himself and took the form of a slave, born in human likeness." Choose to be Jesus' slave and friend.
(Ha ha)
Passionist: Instead of focusing on sin as ugly and distorted, today's readings contrast it with an attractive background. Paul is displeased with the Romans' choices against the background of God's favors; he reminds them they're raised to life, under God's grace, and on the way to being obedient to the teaching Paul had given them, but they blew their opportunity and suffered loss. Paul dwells on the good things they're jeopardizing. The gospel follows much the same pattern in pointing out the faithful servant's path; the focus is less on the nature of the wrong other servants committed, more on the goodness of the owner in awarding gifts and favors to the faithful. The good forgotten/abused, not the evil done, is at the heart of the story. As we assess our own standing before God, let's focus more on the divine favors we've neglected than the ugly ways we've chosen. In the last judgment scene, the focus is less on the evil we've done and more on the good we could have done but didn't. The repulsiveness of evil is less cogent than the attractiveness of goodness.
DailyScripture.net: "Ready to answer the Lord when he draws near": Today's parables confront us with the possibility of losing everything we own and losing our inheritance too. The thief-in-the-night story brings home the necessity for watchfulness to avert danger, especially under the cover of secrecy! Lack of vigilance invites disaster for the unprepared. The Lord expects us to guard the treasure of the gifts of salvation and the Spirit he's won for us. God comes to make his home with us, but we can ignore his presence, close our ears, or reject him. Satan comes like a thief to rob us of faith and to draw us away from God he works with the world and our sinful inclinations to make us believe we can find happiness apart from God. We need to be alert and watchful.
Jesus ends his teaching on vigilance with a parable about a master returning early, rewarding a faithful servant with honor and promotion, and punishing the irresponsible and abusive servant with dishonor and demotion. The Lord calls us to be vigilant and ready to meet him; he gives us his Spirit so we may have wisdom, help, and strength to turn from sin to God's way of love and justice. The Lord's judgment causes dismay for the unprepared but hope to those ready to meet him. Their reward is God himself....
Universalis: St. John of Bridlington, self-effacing religious, prior, contemplative, devoted to celebration of Mass.
The family lives out the promise of love and fidelity that a man and woman make to each other, a promise that unites families across generations and extends to the whole human family. Though these days it's called into question and seen as opposed to personal freedom, actually our freedom is shaped and sustained by fidelity to our choices and commitments. Fidelity grows through daily effort; indeed, fidelity is a supreme expression of our dignity as human beings. It involves the couple's commitment to welcome and educate their children; but it's also fulfilled in caring for parents and weaker family members, helping one another achieve their potential and accept the limits of each. There's no greater school of virtue than the family. Families are a blessing for our world; the love the family is based on points to the love between Christ and his Church.
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