The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time

Readings from the Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Psalm 33:12-13, 14-15, 20-21
Luke 4:38-44

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Some time ago I was involved in a very interesting conversation that went like this. It was early evening and I was at the gym for some exercise after work. Over the years a small group of professional men such as myself had developed a friendship just by being there at the same time each day. One of the other men in our group was a physician I worked with and had known for some time. Between exercises one of our group asked our physician friend if he saw many patients complaining of stress-related ailments. “More than you would believe” he responded, “This seems to be the new epidemic these days.”

The man asked the physician, “What do you do for this?”

To which our physician friend answered, “I usually find that prayer works well.” What a profound statement! Our friend was no doubt asking for a new pill for his stress and what he was told was that the cure actually exists in an the age-old practice of prayer.

As we learn in today’s gospel, the masses flocked to Jesus wherever they could find him. They looked for healing and comfort in a world full of ailments. It should be no different for us today as we can find Jesus in His usual place, ready to help us regardless of any other demands people are making on Him.

- Don Claunch, SFO
(dlclaunch at bresnan dot net)