Sunday, November 3, 2019

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time - Reflection

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life. 

Jn 3:16

Wisdom 11:22-12-2
Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14
2 Thessalonians 1-11 - 2:2
Luke 9:1-10


Wisdom 11:22-12-2

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

The author of the Book of Wisdom was given divine insight into the unbelievably wonderful nature of God. All that lives is because You will it. All created things have been fashioned by Your hand and therefore all life is sacred and must be treated with respect - the crowning glory of all creation being man. This is why You show us such great mercy. You know how weak we are and how much we need Your help and Your grace to become what the Father intended us to be, His daughters and sons.

Thank You.


Psalm 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

My heart should be singing always for I know that You are faithful even when I am not. Thank You for loving me even when I am least loveable. Thank You for Your strength when mine fails. Thank You for never giving up on me and accepting me as I am. Thank You for always encouraging me to be better than I am.

2 Thessalonians 1-11 - 2:2

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

St. Paul reminds us today that each one of us is called to glorify You in our lives by living our faith boldly both privately and in public. We are witnesses and more often than not our witnessing of Christianity is such a disgrace it becomes a source of scandal in the world.

Thank You for the Church that is always praying for all her members so we may gladly receive all the graces we need, have the courage to change, and to be unafraid to be a sign of contradiction in the world.

Thank You for the timely reminder to guard against false prophets.


Luke 9:1-10

My Beloved, Soul of my soul,

So many of us constantly judge people who are different from us. We perceive them in a certain way because their culture is different from our own and consciously or unconsciously we treat them coldly and with disdain. Many of us have been on the receiving end of such callous, negative and unkind judgment just as Zacchaeus was.

Zacchaeus was a man who did not let his shortcomings get in the way of what he desired. Not many people are eager to look ridiculous before their peers; Zacchaeus had no such inhibitions. He knew he was disliked. He knew he had a job that made him a pariah among the Jews but what made him different was his awareness of that space in his heart that wanted more and which no created thing could fill or satisfy. 

All it took for his conversion was the desire to do whatever it took to see You. He took the first step and You did the rest. It must have been a funny sight to see the man clinging for dear life to the limb on of the tree on which he was perched while peering down to get a better glimpse of You. 

St. Luke narrates the incident like this:

When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said,
"Zacchaeus, come down quickly,
for today I must stay at your house."


I doubt anyone scrambled down a tree as quickly as the joyous Zacchaeus did that day. All it took was a real desire, humility, and a readiness to make reparation for his past sins. His reward was salvation not only for him but for all his household.

St. Luke closes with these wonderfully reassuring words,

"For the Son of Man has come to seek
and to save what was lost."



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