The Catholic Calendar for Friday, September 15, 2006
The Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Our Lady of Sorrows

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-27
Psalm 84:3-6, 12
John 19:25-27 or Luke 2:33-35

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"And from that hour the disciple [John] took her [Jesus' mother] into his home."
(See John 19:27)

One of my dear sisters in Christ recently expressed sadness that events in the world show relatively few being touched by God's Word. Like many, she mourns that God's life-giving salvation continues to be ignored or rejected, that entire nations prefer living in a perpetual state of hatred and war rather than in obedience to our peace-giving Creator. Ignorance, wrong teaching and bad example are some causes, but I once heard a young woman say she would reject any religion that called her a sinner. The fact is that sin renders us blind, incapable of realizing that the world's misery is caused by our sin. Paul tells us the blame must be shared even by those who consider themselves redeemed by Christ. Often they become judgmental or condescending, quite forgetting that it is purely a work of God's grace that keeps them from falling into "the pit." Those sincerely desiring to improve this world's situation should begin by cultivating the humility needed to "clean up their own acts."

Today's Gospel readings assert that people are not created to live in personal vacuums, that how we live affects our relationship with others and with God. The answer to the Biblical question, "Am I my brother's keeper?" is a resounding "Yes!" The poet John Donne also put it perfectly when he wrote, "No man is an island unto himself." What affects one of us affects the entire planet. If we demean or despise one life, we demean and despise all of humanity and God Who is its Creator. That Jesus is a sign that continues to be contradicted by the world caused not only His own and His mother's suffering but also perpetuates the suffering of all mankind. The power to bring heaven or hell to earth is ours.

Christ, our Life, continue to pour out Your mercy on us sinners. Employ whatever means will awaken us to our sin and our inability to change apart from Your grace. Amen.

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