The Catholic Calendar for Friday, September 16, 2005
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Cornelius, pope and martyr
St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Timothy 6:2-12
Psalm 49:6-10, 17-20
Luke 8:1-3

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"Proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God"

Jesus taught by doing. He gathered around Him the twelve apostles and they went forth proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. That news is proclaimed to this very day. It is proclaimed in the word that is read from the pulpit. It is proclaimed during the homily that the priest gives to the people. It is proclaimed in the actions our individual churches take for the good of the community.

We are part of this proclamation. We are people of the Word. Our lives are a sign to those around us. As we are loving and giving and accepting, they begin to see an image of God. As we are harsh and forbidding and intemperate, we portray quite a different God--one who, in fact, does not exist.

We proclaim God in our daily lives. Is the God we proclaim one of Good News? Or is He one of harsh judgment and extreme demands? Does He eat with sinners and talk to publicans as Jesus did? Or does he keep to himself and only issue forth to make demands or to tell others what they are doing wrong.

Let the news we proclaim in our action be the Good News of the Love He has for all people without exception. Let the light that shines within us be the true light of Christ, beckoning to those around us, inviting them in.

- JuandelaCruz

(http://floscarmeli.stblogs.org/)