Friday, November 16, 2007

Friday of the Thirty Second Week in Ordinary Time


Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Gertrude, Virgin

Additional Information about Saint Margaret of Scotland[1]
Additional Information about Saint Gertrude[2]

Readings for Friday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time[3]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible

Commentary:

Reading 1 Wis 13:1-9

In this selection the author of Wisdom builds the logic for the one true God. Starting by saying the foolish did not know there was an artist even though they studied the art left behind; he then goes into detail saying that those who worship inanimate objects (fire, wind, stars water) and call them beautiful have missed the true wonder of the creator Himself. Those who worship these things, in essence cannot see the forest for the trees.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:2-3, 4-5ab
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

This short song of praise supports the Wisdom premise that God’s glory is revealed in his creation and that His creation is all that is and has being.

Gospel Lk 17:26-37

In this section of his discourse, Jesus speaks of the Eschaton (the end times). Relating the coming of the Son of Man to the purges of evil and disbelief of the Great Flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, he tells his disciples that in that time, the things of this world (including the physical body) do not matter. It is only important that one believes and has faith in Christ.

Reflection:

The emphasis today is on the importance of faith in our lives. That gift is stressed first in the reading from Wisdom where we find the author’s apology on the existence of God. He tells his audience that those who reach out to false idols simply have not been able to grasp the all encompassing glory of the Father who created all they worship and more. Indeed, we take for granted the wonder of God’s creation at times. We see the sky and trees, the clouds and rain of autumn and do not see the whole of creation of which they are but a part. Each day we should be filled with awe at the marvels of life and the structure God made to support it.


Given that great proof of the Father’s love for us, we have another presented in the Gospel of St. Luke. Jesus, God’s Son, tells us that in the final analysis, our only concern should be for that interior faith. He tells us that when we are taken up on the last day, the possessions of this world will not matter; worse, if our concern is for those things we will already have been lost. He even gives us the example of Lot’s wife who turned back to look once more at her home and was destroyed as it was being destroyed.

Our concern must be for the things of the spirit and of faith. Our effort, our priority, must be to insure that what was freely given by the Lord is grown and nurtured. We do this; strengthen our faith, as we strengthen our bodies, through diet and exercise. The metaphor is apt. Our diet must be the word of God and the sacramental gifts given through Holy Mother Church. Our exercise must be prayer and participation in those acts of devotion and worship.

We are given a reminder today in no uncertain terms that our priority must be the interior faith our God has given us. We pledge today to renew our efforts to build up that faith, following the Saints in their untiring quest for holiness. May God give us strength in this noble pursuit.

Pax

[1] The first picture is of St. Margaret of Scotland, Artist and Date, UNKNOWN
[2] The second picture is St. Gertrude the Great, Artist and Date, UNKNOWN
[3] After Links to Readings Expire

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