Archive for October 5, 2019

Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Posted: October 5, 2019 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
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Life by Faith: Scott Hahn Reflects on the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings:

Habakkuk 1:2–3; 2:2–4
Psalm 95:1–2, 6–9
2 Timothy 1:6–8, 13–14
Luke 17:5–10

Because of his faith, the just man shall live. We hear in today’s First Reading the original prophetic line made so central by St. Paul (see Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).

We are to live by faith in Christ who loved us and gave Himself on the Cross for us (see Galatians 2:20).

The world, though, can seem to us as seventh-century Judah seemed to Habakkuk—in the control of God’s enemies. The strife and discord we face in our own lives can sometimes cause us to wonder, as the prophet does, why God doesn’t seem to hear or intervene when we cry for help.
We can’t let our hearts be hardened by the trials we undergo. As today’s Psalm reminds us: Israel forgot His mighty works, lost faith in the sound words of His promise. They tested God in the desert, demanding a sign.

But God didn’t redeem Israel from Egypt only to let them die in the desert. And He didn’t ransom us from futility only to abandon us in our trials. He is our God and we are the people He shepherds always—though at times His mercy and justice seem long delayed.

If we call on the Lord, as the Apostles do in today’s Gospel, He will increase our faith, will stir to a flame the Holy Spirit who has dwelt within us since Baptism.

As Paul tells us in today’s Epistle, the Lord will always give us the love and self-control we need to bear our share of hardship for the Gospel—with a strength that can come from God alone.

Our task is to continue doing what He has commanded—to love and to build up His kingdom—trusting that His vision still presses on to its fulfillment.

For His vision still has its time. One day, though we are but “unprofitable servants,” we will be invited to eat and drink at our Master’s table. It is that day we anticipate with each celebration of the Eucharist.

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Posted: October 5, 2019 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys
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On Today’s Gospel

Posted: October 5, 2019 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
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Yes we have all sinned but after turning back to our Lord we should rejoice for He had liberated us to fully live in His love! No more mourning and groaning and worrying about falling into the next sin. Instead we must make every effort to remain steadfast by frequent reception of the sacraments and growing in love; and our relationship with Jesus through His Word.

Instead of seeking constantly to avoid sin, we should be outward looking; living not for ourselves but to glorify the Lord our God in the service of others. We would then have no time to sin for we will be too busy building His Kingdom. Indeed we have much to rejoice and be glad. For our Saviour has given us much power and strength to conquer evil, to heal, comfort and lead others back to Him.

My fellow children of God our loving Father, let us live according to His Word and Will for us. Amen.

First reading

Baruch 4:5-12,27-29 ·
Take courage, my children, call on God

Take courage, my people, constant reminder of Israel. You were sold to the nations, but not for extermination.
You provoked God; and so were delivered to your enemies, since you had angered your creator by offering sacrifices to demons, not to God.
You had forgotten the eternal God who reared you. You had also grieved Jerusalem who nursed you, for when she saw the anger fall on you from God, she said:

Listen, you neighbours of Zion:
God has sent me great sorrow.
I have seen my sons and daughters taken into captivity, to which they have been sentenced by the Eternal.
I had reared them joyfully; in tears, in sorrow, I watched them go away.
Do not, any of you, exult over me, a widow, deserted by so many; I suffer loneliness because of the sins of my own children, who turned away from the Law of God.

Take courage, my children, call on God:
he who brought disaster on you will remember you.
As by your will you first strayed away from God, so now turn back and search for him ten times as hard; for as he brought down those disasters on you, so will he rescue you and give you eternal joy.

Gospel

Luke 10:17-24
Rejoice that your names are written in heaven

The seventy-two came back rejoicing. ‘Lord,’ they said ‘even the devils submit to us when we use your name.’ He said to them, ‘I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you. Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven.’
It was then that, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said:
‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’
Then turning to his disciples he spoke to them in private, ‘Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’