The Catholic Calendar for Monday, November 7, 2005
The Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Wisdom 1:1-7
Psalm 139:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10
Luke 17:1-6

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

All exhortations to lead a holy life include prayer and daily meditation on the words of Holy Scripture. For the average person who hasn't been involved in this daily activity, beginning is the first step and can take several paths.

For all, it is God who invites us to prayer. It is He who calls us and is always calling us to Himself. It will however require that we respond. Just think of it: God calls us! Are we going to refuse to answer our almighty Creator? It means that we can't just operate on the way we feel, because there will be many difficult days when it seems that we "get nothing” out of praying.

Perseverance will be required. Understand that "getting something out of it" is not all there is to daily prayer, which St Teresa of Jesus defines simply as "loving conversation with the One who we know loves us,” It is giving back something in return - our time, our attention, our love, our praise.

Holy Scripture poses this question, "How can I repay the Lord for all His goodness to me...?” How, indeed....

- Donna Raye Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hotmail dot com)