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The Catholic Calendar for Tuesday, July 2, 2002 The Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word: Amos 3:1-8;4:11-12 Psalm 5:4-8 Matthew 8:23-27 A reflection on today's Scripture . . . . "I have made my decree and will not relent." What is it that God values from us? Passages from the prophets make very clear the values that He wishes to instill, and today's passage is no exception. God indicates that for four crimes Israel shall be punished and God will not relent from the punishment. What were these crimes? Blasphemy? Idolatry? Yes, but a kind of blasphemy we are not used to. The Israelites are accused of selling the just man for silver, trampling the heads of the poor, selling the poor man for a pair of sandals, charging large fines and then debauching themselves in the temple. All of these are crimes against God. What might we take away from it? Every crime against love is a crime against God -- every selfish thought, word, or deed. Every time we amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor, every time we make a great bargain that leaves the other person at a loss, every time we take advantage of the hardship of others, we sin against God. And God is uncompromising in His treatment of these sins. He is more forgiving of those who had direct responsibility for putting His own Son to death than He will be of those who knowingly transgress the law of love. We come to know and understand the law of love when we meditate on Scripture and the Life of Jesus. But to start we might spend some time with 1 Corinthians 13. Commit it to memory and use it as a measure of how well you conform to the law. And if, like me, it isn't all that well, ask God to help you better conform. - JuandelaCruz, T.O.Carm. ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) YOU CAN HELP to evangelize the Word of God: Please recommend our website
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Title: Meditation: Tuesday, July 2, 2002
