The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, July 25, 2004
The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture from Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 18:20-32
Psalm 138:1-3, 6-8
Colossians 2:14-14
Luke 11:1-03

A reflection on today’s Sacred Scripture:

Today’s First reading is the bold querying of God by Abraham. Over and over Abraham asks God to define more precisely the limits of His forbearance with sinful mankind. Like most scripture stories the writing style of this reading does not provide us with an answer in absolute terms, but rather portrays for us the generous nature of God.

Often that seems to make people uneasy, that they can’t pin God down and know without a doubt exactly what His words and actions in Holy Scripture mean. When that is the case, we have to ask ourselves why we need such absolute answers. Is it because faith requires it or because our lack of faith desires it?

The answer to the spiritual questions we propose to ourselves may help us recognize the basis of our actions, the strength of our convictions and most importantly our need for God’s grace. Don’t be surprised or discouraged however if your search for answers begins to sound like the dialogue we hear between Abraham and God in today’s reading from the Book of Genesis--there is more--read on!

Though in this life we’ll never fully know the mind and heart of God, we do have great reassurances that all we need to know will be given to us: “Seek, knock, ask,” Jesus says, and “it will be given unto you.”

O, Jesus, Splendor of the Father’s glory,
enliven my heart with love,
strengthen my actions with faith
and give me perseverance to the end.
Amen.

- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)

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posted by joachim at 6:15 AM