Virgin
Tuesday of the Thirty Second Week in Ordinary Time
Additional information about St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Thirty Second Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Reading from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Wis 2:23–3:9
The last verses of the second chapter of Wisdom make reference to original sin, Adam and Eve tricked into sin by Satan, and how through that sin death entered the world. The death referred to is spiritual death through sin.
In the third chapter we see the wonderful description of the resurrection and the life of heaven as the author paints the picture of the souls of the just with God “…the Lord shall be their King forever.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Psalm 34 is a lament. The psalmist recalls that the Lord gives hope to those who are poor and have no hope. The Lord hears their cry and brings them comfort and peace.
Gospel Lk 17:7-10
Jesus continues to respond to the disciples request to have their faith increased. In this selection he uses the story of the servant who, just because he had finished his other duties, could not claim his master’s gratitude. He was only doing what he was called to do. In the same way the disciples could make no special claim on God because they did what they were obliged to do because of their call.
Reflection:
We are tantalizingly shown the reward of those who are faithful in the first reading from Wisdom and then reminded in the Gospel that the prize for which we yearn cannot be earned by our merit but must be a gift, freely given. It is like a lesson taught to a young child. The parents want the child to learn the right things to do so to encourage them they offer something huge. It would be like them saying, “Clean up your room and I’ll give you a pony.” The value of the reward far exceeds the value of the effort.
But how could we earn eternal life? What measure of effort could be applied to something that is priceless? All we can do is our best to understand what God is calling us to do and to be and respond as well as we can. And when we start thinking that we have done something of real importance, something of which we can be proud, we should think about this short saying of the Lord as he tells us “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.”
Here we must be careful. Our human minds might think “If the Lord is not going to be grateful because I have expended all this effort, why should I try?” It is an attitude we see commonly in the work place. If a worker is not rewarded with what they perceives is an adequate reward, consistent with their level of effort, they will stop making that extra effort. They have no pride of ownership of the task. It is just a job they are forced to do.
This cannot be our attitude when it comes to answering the Lord’s call to holiness. Our attitude must be the one of the craftsman who will not attempt a task unless it is done with artistry and the results worthy of their skill, regardless of the payment. That craftsman will be paid for the value of the work. So it will be with God for he sees in our hearts and knows if what we do we do out of love for Him or glory for ourselves.
Today we pray that all we do will bring glory to God our Father who hears us in our distress and provides an eternal home for us when we have faithfully responded to his call. And when we begin to feel like we have earned our place among the holy ones, let us remember his word to the disciples “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.”
Pax
[1] The photograph is St. Frances Cabrini, photographer UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
Tuesday of the Thirty Second Week in Ordinary Time
Additional information about St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin[1]
Readings for Tuesday of the Thirty Second Week in Ordinary Time[2]
Reading from the Jerusalem Bible
Commentary:
Reading 1 Wis 2:23–3:9
The last verses of the second chapter of Wisdom make reference to original sin, Adam and Eve tricked into sin by Satan, and how through that sin death entered the world. The death referred to is spiritual death through sin.
In the third chapter we see the wonderful description of the resurrection and the life of heaven as the author paints the picture of the souls of the just with God “…the Lord shall be their King forever.”
Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Psalm 34 is a lament. The psalmist recalls that the Lord gives hope to those who are poor and have no hope. The Lord hears their cry and brings them comfort and peace.
Gospel Lk 17:7-10
Jesus continues to respond to the disciples request to have their faith increased. In this selection he uses the story of the servant who, just because he had finished his other duties, could not claim his master’s gratitude. He was only doing what he was called to do. In the same way the disciples could make no special claim on God because they did what they were obliged to do because of their call.
Reflection:
We are tantalizingly shown the reward of those who are faithful in the first reading from Wisdom and then reminded in the Gospel that the prize for which we yearn cannot be earned by our merit but must be a gift, freely given. It is like a lesson taught to a young child. The parents want the child to learn the right things to do so to encourage them they offer something huge. It would be like them saying, “Clean up your room and I’ll give you a pony.” The value of the reward far exceeds the value of the effort.
But how could we earn eternal life? What measure of effort could be applied to something that is priceless? All we can do is our best to understand what God is calling us to do and to be and respond as well as we can. And when we start thinking that we have done something of real importance, something of which we can be proud, we should think about this short saying of the Lord as he tells us “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.”
Here we must be careful. Our human minds might think “If the Lord is not going to be grateful because I have expended all this effort, why should I try?” It is an attitude we see commonly in the work place. If a worker is not rewarded with what they perceives is an adequate reward, consistent with their level of effort, they will stop making that extra effort. They have no pride of ownership of the task. It is just a job they are forced to do.
This cannot be our attitude when it comes to answering the Lord’s call to holiness. Our attitude must be the one of the craftsman who will not attempt a task unless it is done with artistry and the results worthy of their skill, regardless of the payment. That craftsman will be paid for the value of the work. So it will be with God for he sees in our hearts and knows if what we do we do out of love for Him or glory for ourselves.
Today we pray that all we do will bring glory to God our Father who hears us in our distress and provides an eternal home for us when we have faithfully responded to his call. And when we begin to feel like we have earned our place among the holy ones, let us remember his word to the disciples “We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.”
Pax
[1] The photograph is St. Frances Cabrini, photographer UNKNOWN
[2] After Links to Readings Expire
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