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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, June 3, 2002 The Ninth Week in Ordinary Time St. Charles Luanga, catechist, martyr and his companion martyrs Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word: 2 Peter 1:2-7 Psalm 91:1-2,14-16 Mark 12:1-12 A reflection on today's Scripture. . . . "What therefore will the owner of the vineyard do?" (Mark 12:9) Peter's letter speaks of the precious gift of new life offered us in Christ who delivered us from sin. Too many believe that a mere mental assent to this truth automatically guarantees entrance into heaven. They don't see that God's gift is meant to be lived through their practicing those same virtues that reside in Him; they are to be holy as He is holy, share in his divine attributes by hearing and obeying His Holy Spirit. Failing in this, they will not produce those characteristics which will draw others to Christ -- His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. God's kingdom is dynamic, meant to grow beyond individuals; for our Self-giving God desires to fill us to overflowing with His life, that He may touch others through us. Today's Gospel parable deals with the tragic consequences suffered by those lacking God's life within them. Though God repeatedly visited the Israelites to reveal Himself and His ways to them through Moses and the Prophets, the priests to whom He entrusted the care of His vineyard turned it into their own private little kingdom; they kept the fruit they produced for their own profit, not for the salvation of souls nor for giving glory to God. When God sent them His only Son as their final chance at redemption, they killed Him. Jesus warns them that those cruelly rejecting the Son , will be put to death and God's vineyard given to those who will bring forth a plentiful yield for God. Blessed Lord, enable us to examine ourselves in the light of Your Spirit to see if we are faithfully tending Your vineyard and helping it produce much fruit unto eternal life. 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, June 3, 2002
