Archive for October 15, 2016

29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted: October 15, 2016 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys
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Hope From on High: Dr Scott Hahn reflects on the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings: 

Exodus 17:8-13
Psalm 121:1-8
2 Timothy 3:14-4:2
Luke 18:1-8

The Lord is our guardian, beside us at our right hand, interceding for us in all our spiritual battles.

In today’s Psalm we’re told to lift our eyes to the mountains, that our help will come from Mount Zion and the Temple—the dwelling of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

Joshua and the Israelites, in today’s First Reading, are also told to look to the hilltops. They are to find their help there—through the intercession of Moses—as they defend themselves against their mortal foes, the Amalekites.

Notice the image: Aaron and Hur standing on each side of Moses, holding his weary arms so that he can raise the staff of God above his head. Moses is being shown here as a figure of Jesus, who also climbed a hilltop, and on Mount Calvary stretched out His hands between heaven and earth to intercede for us against the final enemy—sin and death (see 1 Corinthians 15:26).

By the staff of God, Moses bested Israel’s enemies (see Exodus 7:8-12;8:1-2), parted the Red Sea (seeExodus 14:16) and brought water from the Rock (see Exodus 17:6).

The Cross of Jesus is the new staff of God, bringing about a new liberation from sin, bringing forth living waters from the body of Christ, the new Temple of God (see John 2:19-21; 7:37-39; 19:34;1 Corinthians 10:4).

Like the Israelites and the widow in today’s Gospel, we face opposition and injustice—at times from godless and pitiless adversaries.

We, too, must lift our eyes to the mountains—to Calvary and the God who will guard us from all evil.

We must pray always and not be wearied by our trials, Jesus tells us today. As Paul exhorts in today’s Epistle, we need to remain faithful, to turn to the inspired Scriptures—given by God to train us in righteousness.

We must persist, so that when the Son of Man comes again in kingly power, He will indeed find faith on earth.

If I Am…

Posted: October 15, 2016 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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If I am Holy, I am Holy for You and for my brethren.

If I am worthy, it is because You have made me so.

If I am strong, it is Your strength I draw from.

If I am capable, it is You who have gifted me.

If I am eloquent, it is your words that I speak.

If I am truthful, it is Your truth alone that I utter.

If I am a beacon, it is Your light that I shine.

If I am prayerful, it is to be in communion with you.

If I am joyful, it is because I live the joy of the Risen Lord.

If I am loving, it is because You loved me first.

I am who I am because of You, my Lord and my God. Amen

On Today’s Gospel 

Posted: October 15, 2016 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Do we affirm one another especially members of our faith community who have grown in faith and love? Do we recognize and give glory to the Lord our God for His hand who touched the lives of His people? Do we say to them, I see Jesus in you? Or to another, I thank the Lord for you, you have been a great blessing in our lives? 

Or do we only know how to criticize? Tear one another down? See only the failures, faults and shortcomings? Where is our humility, mercy, compassion and love? 

Let us be great witnesses to the love and mercy of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ in our lives. Let us testify to the workings of the Holy Spirit by our Words, our deeds, our love put into action for our Lord and His flock. 

Praise and glory be to the Holy Trinity. Now and forever. Amen 

First reading
Ephesians 1:15-23

I, having once heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and the love that you show towards all the saints, have never failed to remember you in my prayers and to thank God for you. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named not only in this age but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.
Gospel
Luke 12:8-12



Jesus said to his disciples:
‘I tell you, if anyone openly declares himself for me in the presence of men, the Son of Man will declare himself for him in the presence of the angels. But the man who disowns me in the presence of men will be disowned in the presence of God’s angels.
‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
‘When they take you before synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say, because when the time comes, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you must say.’