The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Romans 6:12-18
Psalm 24:1-8
Luke 12:39-48

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

You must be prepared....

If we knew that a thief were coming, we'd lock up the house and seal the windows. We'd call the police and enlist our neighbors to help us catch whoever would steal from us. Sadly, our great foe wishes to take what is the most precious gift given to us, and we often shrug our shoulders and say: Tomorrow is time enough . . . God is merciful.

God is merciful, but we should be ashamed to presume so much on that mercy -- tomorrow is not early enough. Today is not early enough. Only right now, this instant, the very second we have before us is soon enough. Through His great grace, mercy, and love, God granted us a Redeemer to restore us to the completeness of His Family.

Do we wish to bring dishonor upon that family? If not, we must leave off every manner of wickedness from the greatest to the least. We must love God with the fullness of our hearts and we must abandon all things that hurt Him -- lying, slander, unpleasantness of every sort, callousness, materialism, and all manner of corruption that comes from the world.

We cannot do it alone. Only Grace makes it possible. So let us presume no further and pray fervently for the grace to no longer offend God. Let us come home ourselves, called by love, received by Grace, leaving all trash and sinfulness outside.

- JuandelaCruz (sriddle415 at yahoo dot com)

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posted by joachim at 4:50 AM