The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, June 23, 2005
The Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 16: 1-12, 15-16
Psalm 106: 1-5
Matthew 7: 21-29

A reflection on today's Scripture. . . .

"Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord" shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of my Father." (Matthew 7: 21)

People often create problems for themselves and others when they insist on doing God's work in their own time and way. Not recognizing God's limitless power and considering herself past the childbearing age, Sara, Abram's wife, assumed the task of giving her husband a woman who could produce an heir for him. This resulted in Sara's jealousy and mistreatment of her servant who bore Abram a son at her insistence. An even more serious consequence of her action was her indirect creation of a rancorous relationship (one that persists to this day) between the descendants of the servant's son and those of the son she bore to Abram in her old age.

History attests without doubt the consequences of man's disobedience toward God. Jesus tells us that we must recognize God as our devoted Father whose wisdom is unparalleled, whose will for His children is perfect. Those who claim to be "believers" are obliged to listen to God and out of love for Him, obey His living Word; Christ tells us that loving God and obeying Him are inseparable. Today's Gospel narrates the fate of those who presume to ignore God's providence, who do their own will to their own honor and glory rather than God's.

Those sincerely desiring to do God's work must do it as an overflow of the love they have allowed God to pour into their hearts. A faith that is not built upon this "rock" cannot endure.

O Most humble Lord, send us Your Spirit
that He may teach us to become like You.
Then may we, out of His purest love,
always fulfill the will of our Father. Amen

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

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