The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, July 23, 2005
Saturday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary time
St. Bridget of Sweden

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Exodus 24:3-8
Psalm 50:1-2, 5-6, 14-15
Matthew 13:24-30

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

The readings today are all about listening and accepting. We can get distracted by the drama of of the The Book of Exodus: the thunder and lightening, the smoke and the fire. But what about our very own hearts? Are they seared by the fire and cleansed by the lightning--so that, vulnerable and pliant, they’re ready to hear all of The Ten Commandments. Are we generous and eager to accept and obey them?

After all, it's a covenant, an agreement between God and His people. Without the consent of the party of the second part (that’s us), the decrees of the party of the first part have no validity! Because Moses stayed so long on the mountain, the people defected, drawing even Aaron into tacit consent. No wonder God (and his agent, Moses) was so very angry, breaking the tablets of the Law. Of what use are the Ten Commandments unless there are people willing to enter into solemn and binding acceptance?

This Saturday is a good day for us to take each of the Ten Commandments (with special emphasis on the first three), meditate on each prayerfully, and then renew our own personal commitment to the Covenant. How honored God will be through this exercise!

Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins at frontiernet dot net)

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