The Catholic Calendar for Monday, February 11, 2002
The Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Our Lady of Lourdes
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Kings 8:1-7,9-13
Psalm 132:6-10
Mark 6:53-56
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
They began to bring the sick, wherever they heard He was. (see Mk 6:55)
Healing services are popular today, but they seem mainly attended by the elderly and
those afflicted by serious physical problems. What many don't realize and what the
Church has not emphasized is that all of us in the unrepentant state but in vigorous
physical health are in even greater need of healing.
The most important healing we can receive, is in our relationships between one
another.
Constantly we are told in homilies to love each other as God loves us, but they seldom
become more specific; so, consequently, few have any understanding of what this
means and how we may accomplish it.
Essentially, this means we must love one another as Christ loves us; for while we were
still steeped in sin, at enmity with God and lacking in His truth and love, Jesus gave
His
life for us, paid the price of removing from us the guilt and stain of sin. Moreover,
He
gave us the gift of new life patterned after His very own, a holy life. Yet a vast
number
of
Christians exist from day to day as though they had never heard of living the
Christ-life.
Mainly, they treat those who please them with civility while delegating to a mental
scrap
heap those they find unacceptable, treating them coldly if not with open contempt.
What God calls us to do, is to accept our "new birth" in Christ and slowly and
painfully
learn to love as God loves us, with an unconditional, forgiving and self-giving love.
We
can accomplish this if we see and repent of our own sins and resolve, through the
guidance and help of the Holy Spirit of grace, to live in the love and truth revealed
to
us
by Christ in the Scriptures. It will not be an easy road to travel, but our final
judgment
will be based on how faithfully we reflect Christ's own image in our lives.
Loving Father,
gather and shelter your children; keep us from sin
and make us worthy of the eternal reward You desire to give us.
Amen.
- Marie L. Bocko, ocds ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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