The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ephesians 5:21-33
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Luke 13:18-21

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Haven’t you at times wondered what heaven was really going to be like? Sacred Scripture reminds us that we have no natural ability to comprehend all that God has prepared for those who love Him and yet we see Jesus in today’s Gospel trying to help us out a bit.

I don’t know about you, but the story of the mustard seed and the yeast which makes the dough rise might be somewhat descriptive, about how the kingdom of God grows from something very small into something large, inclusive and useful, but it doesn’t engender in me the kind of longing that spurs me to more faithful love and service.

I did however have a brief experience on a very pleasant peaceful day where the weather was beautiful, there was no stress or predominating worries and the overall adjective that I might use to describe both my mood and the environment was, “Lovely.”

While recognizing how unusually lovely every thing seemed to be, I was struck with the awareness that as lovely and peaceful as the day was, how much more lovely and peaceful heaven was bound to be AND it was going to last forever!

This, like mustard seed and yeast stories, is what our souls need to nurture the hungering and longing for heaven that helps direct the path of our hearts, the course of our lives.

“One thing I ask, this alone I seek:
to dwell in the House of the Lord all my days.
O Lord, bring me to Your dwelling place.”
(from “This Alone” a song by Tim Manion based on Psalm 27)

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