Thursday.blog
The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, October 16, 2003
Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Hedwig, religious
St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, virgin
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Romans 3:21-30
Psalm 130:1-6
Luke 11:47-54
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
There isn't a one of us who doesn't strive after goodness and holiness. It is the Christian life! But, how easy it is for us to believe that our own efforts, struggles, and good works will "earn" heaven for us. It is reflected in the warning we sometimes heard as children: "God loves good boys and girls". Does that mean that God does not love us when we are bad boys and girls? That's where justification by faith comes in. Of course, we must strive for goodness and holiness. Of course we must do our best to avoid evil. But today's reading from Romans makes it very clear that we are justified by the Blood of Jesus Christ, poured out for us. It is for that reason that the Father accepts us as His own. We are washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
Now is the hour of salvation -- this very moment we are re-created anew. No matter what the past, in this very moment, by the grace of our baptism, we are newly created in the image of Jesus Christ.
- Msgr. Paul Whitmore (smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)
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