The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, September 9, 2001
The Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Wisdom 9:13-18a
Psalm 90:3-6,12-17
Philemon 9b-10,12-17
Luke 14:25-33
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on today's Scripture:
"If anyone comes to me and does not hate....his own life,
he cannot be my disciple." - Luke 14:25 (Douay-Rheims)
In today's Gospel, Jesus strongly emphasizes the commitment and cost
of discipleship. Disciples are to bear the crosses common to all
people; but there is another suffering experienced by those who
genuinely live and visibly uphold God's Word in this world. These
often meet criticism, hatred and persecution; for the world abhors
those exposing its sin, its need for radical change.
However, the greatest conflict for those desiring to be Christ's
disciples is fought within their hearts and minds when flesh wars
against spirit in the battle to place God above all else in their
lives, as Christ requires. Unaided, no one can fulfill this demand.
If they allow Him, the Holy Spirit will sanctify them, work to
conform their lives to the precepts Jesus described in His
Beatitudes, indeed His entire Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5-7). Hence He
will bring about their humility, the realization that God is
sovereign and those who follow Jesus must cease being their own
gods--selfish, self-seeking, proud, haughty, jealous. Their
self-righteousness also needs to be put to death; they must repent of
their own sins, that they may not judge others but treat them with
the same forgiveness and compassion they have received from God in
Christ. Finally, they are to practice detachment from all people and
things that hinder their obeying God's Word and giving unstinting
service to His children.
Re-created in the image of Christ, His disciples become as broken
bread and poured out wine to feed a love-starved world.
Merciful and Just Lord,
teach us that in giving of ourselves,
we are enabled to receive a far greater blessing,
the gift of Your life within us. Amen.
Marie L. Bocko ocds, ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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