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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, April 29, 2002 The Fifth Week of Easter St. Catherine of Siena Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word: Acts 14:5-18 Psalm 115:1-4,15-16 John 14:21-26 A reflection on today's Scripture: If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode place with him. (John 14:23) Humans have a preponderance toward idolatry. What is actually their underlying hunger for God, they try to appease with relationships, money, fame, possessions, travel or entertainment. If these fail, to satisfy themselves, they live vicariously through hero worship, attach their hearts and minds on someone appearing to be "larger than life." Our first reading illustrates this human trait when Paul and Barnabas while in Lystre, a Pagan city, heal a man who had been crippled from birth. Immediately the crowds gathered to elevate them to the status of gods and tried to offer sacrifices to them. Though Paul and Barnabas pleaded with the excited people to give the glory to the one true God, they were barely able to restrain them. In preparing His Apostles to carry on their ministry after His death, Jesus explained that all He had done as a man was the result of His oneness with God; since it is God alone and not the vessel that bears Him that should be worshipped. All truth, power and love reside in the Godhead. Therefore, the true measure of love for Christ is His disciples' faithful obedience to God's commands; for He, though God incarnate, in His human flesh, is but a servant to His heavenly Father. If they, like Christ, keep God's word, the Father will come to them (and all true believers) to make them His dwelling place. This means that our human bodies, these earthen vessels are to become living temples bearing God's life, His Holy Spirit who enables us to continue God's work on this earth. God is the All; without Him we can do nothing of any lasting worth. Father God, all things, all good comes from You. Make us worthy stewards of Your gifts to be shared with our brothers and sisters. Amen. - Marie L. Bocko, ocds ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) YOU CAN HELP to evangelize the Word of God: Please recommend our website to your friends and Catholic webmasters. The meditations are in English & Spanish at http://www.borg.com/~joachim/DailyMeds.html (case sensitive). ARCHIVED Meditations: http://www.abcsoffaith.com/quiet/quietplace.html and at: http://www.mail-archive.com/dailymed%40saturn.nibcomp.com For ALL communications, including subscribe/unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (c)2002 The Way, The Truth, The Life. Permission granted to make reprints of the meditations or to post on any web page, except for profit. All scripture quotes are from the Douay-Rheims edition of the Catholic Bible. Full text from the New American Bible: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm Lives of the Saints: http://www.christdesert.org/public_texts/martyrology/ |
Title: Meditation: Monday, April 29, 2002
