The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Andrew Kim Taegon, priest and martyr
and St Paul Chong Hasang, martyr
and their companions, martyrs

Readings from the Liturgy of the Word:
1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13
Psalm 33:2-3, 4-5, 12 and 22
Luke 7:31-35

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Almost thirty years ago my wife and I bought what became our family home. We were young and just starting a family and a life together and we wanted to celebrate by having all our friends and families over to the new house. We worked together for days cooking, cleaning and calling to invite our friends and relatives. When the evening for our party came we had tables of food and the best drinks possible. Only two people showed up. We were devastated. It was not all the food that bothered us as that would be eaten over the following days and unopened bottles of drinks would keep forever. Our disappointment came in, what seemed to us, our friends' and family members' lack of desire to celebrate our happiness with us.

In today's gospel reading, Jesus points out that He, and John the Baptist before Him, brought the Good News and were met with a lukewarm response. Jesus brought a message of love, joy and eternal salvation that many flatly ignored. While our housewarming celebration cannot compare to the “celebration” that Jesus brought, the response of those invited was the same. Perhaps this is human nature?

I know that there are times when my response to my Lord's invitation is nonexistent or lukewarm, and I am certain this is the case for many other Christians. My prayer is that when the Lord calls me, He also prods me a bit into hearing His word, to move me into action and respond as I should, not as I sometimes do (or don't do).

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