The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Tuesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
The Most Holy Name of Mary (new)

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians Cor 6:1-11
Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b
Luke 6:12-19

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Sometimes the words of Holy Scripture are so simple that it’s hard to believe that anyone who heard or read them wouldn’t understand exactly what was being said. Such is the case in today’s first reading from St. Paul to the Corinthians. He says, “Can you not realize that the unholy will not fall heir to the kingdom of God?” What is there not to understand about that except that we live in such convoluted times that some would dare to say, "It depends on what the meaning of 'unholy' is or what 'is,' is"?

So we’re faced with tricky maneuverings, misleading language and a myriad of other devilish manipulations all in an effort to lead us away from what we know in our heart of hearts is right. If we are not careful, we can be easily duped and foiled and outsmarted--all in an effort to mask what is evil by some collective relativism that accepts unholiness as the norm.

This is serious, and something any one of us can fall prey to--unless we surround ourselves with good people, good reading material, good use of our time, be it at work or leisure, and finally by having Jesus Christ as our constant companion and friend. By comparison to Jesus’ behavior, we’ll be able to judge rightly what is holy and what is not. It will not be a matter of anything as stupid as what the meaning of the word, is, is, but a matter of obvious and undeniable truth.

- Donna Nelson, OCDS
(drn3rd at hughes dot net)