The Catholic Calendar for Monday, September 17, 2001
Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Robert Bellarmine
Complete story: http://www.christdesert.org/public_texts/martyrology/
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Timothy 2:1-8
Psalm 28:2,7-9
Luke 7:1-10
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
God Our Savior, desires all men to be saved.
Jesus desires that all people come to knowledge of the truth, and that all
men be saved. He did not die for a select few, but for the great many. How
sad it is then that so many do not know Him, that so many wander the world
in complete ignorance of Him. It is sad, and it is a shame on us, because we
are called to let everyone know of the great gift of our salvation.
While He was living, Jesus did not hesitate to go to the house of a
Centurion. Consider for a moment the Centurion in Israel. Do you suppose
that there could be anyone more despised, more hated than the occupiers of
the country? If you want to have an insight into how Romans were viewed and
treated, just take a look at the news from the Middle East today. Very
likely Roman centurions were regarded in just such a way. But Jesus was
willing at the behest of his friends to go to the house of the Centurion.
The Centurion, realizing the enormous onus this would be, simply believed
that Jesus could say the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus went to
the most hated people in His world and invited them in.
So we are to follow his example. Paul exhorts us to pray for the rulers of
the land and for every person, because every single individual is precious
in the eyes of the Lord. He shed his blood not just for a few as Paul
vehemently reinforces--"Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all.
. ." (1 Tim 2:5-6). So, no matter how we might feel personally about any
person, no matter how we have been battered, beaten or bruised, we must
pray, and pray ardently and with all of our hearts that each person can come
to an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Every person has
been given a wonderful gift and we are all called to join in opening it for
the world.
- JuandelaCruz TOC ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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