Friday.blog
The Catholic Calendar for Friday, July 30, 2004
Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Peter Chrysologus, bishop, doctor of the Church
Scripture from Friday’s Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 26:1-9
Psalm 69:5, 8-10, 14
Matthew 13:54-58
A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:
It seems that all the prophets were abused at one time or another. People didn’t like to hear God’s message when it rebuked them for sin. I think that’s one of the greatest dangers in our spiritual journey--not to recognize our sinfulness. This kind of self-delusion comes when we fail to be faithful in prayer and praise of our Creator. Perhaps we miss one day, then another and another. Gradually, our laxity become habitual. Then our conscience becomes dulled, and we fail to perceive the difference from our state of soul before this laxity, and the state of our soul after paralysis has set in. Of course, there’s always the chance that God’s voice can penetrate our hearts. When it does, we awaken with a shock to our deplorable state, and, with God’s grace, do something about it.
If we don’t, we can resort to aggressive defense, and abuse the messengers of God’s warning, as did the Israelites in the time of Jeremiah--and during the earthly existence of Jesus. Who are the modern messengers? The voice the Pope and the magisterium of the Church, our Bishops, perhaps a concerned friend or spouse, even the voices of our children.
Let us beg God for the grace of never rejecting His warning voice,
no matter what His instrument.
- Msgr. Paul E. Whitmore
(smartins at twcny dot rr dot com)
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