The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, February 24, 2004
Thursday of the Second Week of Lent

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1:1-4,6
Luke 16:19-31

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't be convinced even if one should rise from the dead." (Luke 16:31)

God's loving patience provides His creatures with every opportunity to be saved. Yet we should not ignore Jesus' repeated warnings that hell is a very real and present danger. We don't know the actual moment our lives may end; therefore we must always be prepared to meet our God, be fit to live in the heavenly kingdom in His all-holy Presence. God cannot admit into heaven anyone who deliberately ignores or chooses to disobey living in His love and truth which has been clearly revealed to us by Christ Jesus.

Today's Gospel reading combines the two varieties of sin--those of commission and those of omission. The rich man in the Gospel may have fulfilled the letter of the "Law," but if he did so without considering the needs of one less fortunate through an overflow of God's love from within his heart, his works, though following the law, would remain fruitless.

The "good" we do, should touch people's hearts with God's life, His love and truth. Only in this way can others be drawn to Him, not merely to their human benefactors. Our life's choices are all important and the harm they may do to others cannot be ignored by God. He welcomes into heaven only those whose hearts have sincerely tried to live in and so convey to others Jesus Christ's self-giving love and holy truth.

O Blessed Lord,
You have offered us the gift of a new life
beginning now and extending throughout eternity.
Touch the hearts of all peoples,
that they may be converted and gain salvation.
Amen

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

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posted by joachim at 4:27 AM