The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, September 24, 2005
Saturday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Zechariah 2:5-9, 14-15
Jeremiah 31:10-13
Luke 9:43-45

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Gospel, the disciples of Jesus seem to have their hands over their ears as Jesus tells them of his impending Passion and Death. They just don't want to hear about it. In the months and years in which they have followed Jesus, they have formed their own ideas of what His future--and theirs--will be. He will be gloriously enthroned as an earthly King and Liberator of Israel, and they themselves will share Power and Authority. It's the subject of their thoughts and plans so often that we wonder how much they really did hear of Jesus' message.

We are not so very different. We often picture in our mind what Jesus looks like, and how He talks and walks. That's only natural. We know that He loves us with incredible allowances for our failings. And that's as it should be. But what about the challenges He makes? What about those "hard sayings". Do we just brush them aside after a few minutes of reflection?

O Jesus, help me to really accept those predictions of suffering and pain for those who follow You. And grant me Your "toughening Grace" that I may be strong enough to face with patience and humility whatever share of the Passion You have chosen for me. Let me remember that, if You are the one who has custom-made my cross, then I must embrace it with the same love with which You will give it. Amen.

- Msgr. Paul Whitmore
(smartins@frontiernet.net)