The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, June 16, 2005
Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
2 Corinthians 11: 1-11
Psalm 111: 1-4, 7-8
Matthew 6: 7-15


A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"And in praying do not heap empty phrases..." (Matthew 6:7)

While God's approval can't be won by clever talk, we humans are frequently seduced into believing speakers who are charismatic, forceful and self-assured. St. Paul warned the Corinthians not to be disarmed and misled by those eloquently speaking falsehoods about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He apologizes for his own lack of oratorical skills, but he strongly asserts that his information is God's absolute truth spoken out of his love for Christ and the people of Corinth. Those who contradict his message are charlatans interested in personal profit and whose lies will draw their listeners away from Christ.

Today we are highly vulnerable to profiteers who use the media to present a flaccid, empty Christianity, who secularize the Gospels and tell their audiences what they want to hear--that God is "soft" on sin, that the old rules do not apply in our modern age. Seldom do religious speakers talk about repentance of sin, nor do they mention Christ's insistence on self-denial and His calling us to be holy as our heavenly Father is holy.

In today's Gospel, Christ casts aside all empty words prayed by the Gentiles to their false gods. He tells us that in our prayers we must first recognize that we are speaking to our all-holy Creator whose children can fearlessly ask Him to fulfill their needs, for He already knows them. Finally we are to seek forgiveness for sin, turn away from temptations and forgive those who have wronged us. Christ's prayer, in its simplicity, states that truth and love points us toward peace with God, with ourselves and with one another.

O God of peace,
make Your light to shine brightly within human hearts and minds,
that we may see Your love and truth,
and accept Your grace to live holy lives.
Amen

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

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