October 24, 2015: Saturday, 29th week, Ordinary Time
- 'Peace sign' tie bar: The concern of the spirit is life and peace (1st reading)
- 'Holy Spirit' chain: You're in the spirit if the Spirit of God dwells in you. If the Spirit dwells in you, God will give life to your bodies... (1st reading)
- 'Olympics' tie pin: The Lord’s are the earth and its fullness (psalm)
- 'Hand' tie pin, 'girl with heart' pin: Those with sinless hands and clean heart can ascend the Lord's mountain (psalm)
- 'Tree' pin: Fig tree parable (gospel)
- Green shirt: Ordinary Time season
- Only natural/ Chapman: lyrics (1st reading)
- Sweet, sweet Spirit/ Akers (1st reading)
For the psalm
- Psalm 24: We long to see your face/ Keil
- Psalm 24: King of Glory/ Mui, Soon
- Psalm 24/ Silver
- Lift up your heads, O ye gates, from Messiah/ Handel
- Let the King of Glory come/ Joncas: sheet music
- King of glory/ Tomlin
- Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!/ Celoni
- Rom 8:1-11 There's no condemnation for those in Christ. God sent his Son to condemn sin. The concern of the flesh is death; the concern of the spirit, life and peace. Those in the flesh can't please God, but if God's Spirit is in you, you're in the spirit. If Christ is in you, the spirit is alive. If God's Spirit dwells in you, God will give you life.
- Ps 24:1b-4ab, 5-6 "Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face." The Lord’s are the earth and those who dwell in it. Who can ascend the Lord's mountain? Those with sinless hands and clean heart....
- Lk 13:1-9 If you don't repent, you'll perish. Owner / gardener: "Cut down this fig tree; it's been barren 3 years" / "Leave it a year for me to cultivate; if it doesn't bear fruit then, you can cut it down."
Reflect
- One Bread One Body: "Fruit inspection": Jesus warns we'll suffer a tragic end unless we bear the fruit of holiness and evangelization, but we can't bear fruit on our own. We need to live in Jesus as branches of his vine so he'll live in us; we can do nothing apart from him, but in him we'll bear abundant and lasting fruit. May we live for him, not ourselves....
- Passionist: "Constant Call to Conversion": Jesus reminds us the most dangerous thing is to turn away from God: “Unless you convert you'll perish.” The Greek for convert is metanoeo, to give an afterthought to the event, to reconsider, to have second thoughts about God’s concern about us. The word occurs 58 times in New Testament showing its importance. Other terms in Scripture for turning to God include 'turn,' 'face,' and 'repent.' Today the word for conversion is in the present tense; the call to turn to God is ongoing. Some moments of grace move us profoundly, but we're called to turn to God daily with deepening understanding of his love. St. Paul of the Cross encouraged his religious to turn to God a thousand times a day if possible. Everyone can have an aversion to conversion; trivial things can take on importance far beyond their significance. John the Baptist and Jesus began their preaching with: “Repent (metanoeo); the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jesus calls attention to the closeness of God. Jesus Himself is the autobasilius (Kingdom himself); Origen reminds us his presence is the kingdom. When we turn to him, our action takes on an excitement like no other! “In his presence is fullness of joy.” The rich young leaving Christ is “gloomy”; he went away grieving. The ultimate sadness is to live unattached to Christ, the Living One.
- DailyScripture.net: "Unless you repent": Pilate, Roman governor of Jerusalem, ordered his troops to slaughter a group of Galileans who came to Jerusalem to offer Temple sacrifice. We don't know why his wrath was incited, nor why he chose to attack them in the Temple. For Jews, this was barbarity and sacrilege! Jesus also addressed a natural disaster, a tower in Jerusalem that collapsed, killing 18. Jews often considered calamities as a consequence of sin, but the real calamity Jesus points out is that unexpected disaster or sudden death doesn't give time to repent. Job reminds us misfortune and calamity can befall anyone. Jesus warns us to take responsibility for our actions and choices and put sin to death today....
Jesus' parable of the fig tree is a warning about the consequences of allowing sin and corruption to take root. Fig trees were a common and important source of food; they normally matured within three years, producing plentiful fruit, or else they were cut down to make room for more healthy trees. A decaying fig tree and its bad fruit symbolized the consequence of spiritual corruption caused by evil deeds. The barren tree symbolized the outcome of Israel's indifference and lack of response to God's word. The prophets depicted Israel's fall, due to her unfaithfulness, as a languishing fig tree. Jeremiah likened good and evil Israelites to figs that either good for eating or rotten. Jesus' parable depicts God's patience but also warns that we shouldn't presume upon his patience and mercy. God's judgment will come; he judges to purify and cleanse us of sin that we might grow in holiness....
- Universalis: St. Antony Mary Claret, ex-Jesuit, bishop, founded Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Claretians), reformed clergy, built hospital and schools...; see Wikipedia.
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