The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, November 4, 2001
The Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Wisdom 11:22--12:2
Psalm 145:1-2,8-11,13-14
2 Thessalonians 1:11--2:2
Luke 19:1-10
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on today's Scripture:
For the Son of Man came to seek and save what was lost. (Luke 19:10)
The expression, "hate sin but love sinners", is the essence of today's
Gospel. Obviously, God hates sin because it alienates us from Him and
one another. Sin endangers the perpetrators' soul and it also devalues
its victims, undermines their God-given dignity. Today's pathological
quest for freedom ignores God's commands, sees them as restrictions
rather than expressions of God's love that enable humans to build and
enjoy peaceful, just and orderly communities, to live in true freedom.
Christ's mission restores sanity, God's truth and love to minds and
hearts perverted by selfishness and Satan's lies. Jesus lifts us up from
moral depravity and fits us for God's kingdom. Zacchaeus, a tax
collector grown rich through cheating, was one of a despised class. But
Jesus knew that neither anger nor condemnation could effect any change
in him, that truth is best made evident through God's love, His mercy
and forgiveness. Conversion most often comes when it dawns on sinners
that they are the beloved children of a good God calling them home to
his awaiting arms.
We who have also sinned dare not elevate ourselves self-righteously
above others; still, God commands us to make His truth known to our
erring brothers and sisters. We are our "brother's keeper" and realize
that "no man is an island." Ultimately, the best way to make God's truth
known and accepted is to both speak it and live it in Christ's love.
God of mercy and forgiveness,
direct our steps to follow You,
the source of every good,
that we may help bring Your promised peace and justice
into this world. Amen.
- Marie L. Bocko, ocds ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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