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The Catholic Calendar for Monday, August 19, 2002 The Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time St. John Eudes Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word: Ezekiel 24:15-24 Deuteronomy 32:18-21 Matthew 19:16-22 A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture: Go sell what you have and give it to the poor. Then come follow me. (see Matt.19:21) As a child of about four I recall a playmate wearing a necklace of glittering, multicolored beads; and coveting them, I gave my mother no rest until she bought one for me. My childish mind thought that this bauble would satisfy me and perhaps raise me in my friends' esteem. I later saw that it aroused others' covetousness and only whetted my appetite for more enticing articles. Some never escape this trap of acquisitiveness, remain dazzled by the world's endless procession of enticing goods, see them as a measure of their success. Christ calls us to release our grip on worldly goods, not because they are evil, but because we can make idols of them that distract us from what should be central in our lives, following Jesus, making His thought, attitudes and behavior our own. Average Christians, Catholics included, think it sufficient if they attend weekly service, Mass, and then carry on life as usual. Few realize that being Christian is a life-altering commitment based on a deep, intimate relationship with Christ through prayer and spiritual worship. We are not our own but God's creatures fallen into sin and in need of healing from within; and God's dearest wish is to regenerate our hearts and minds, restore us to our original dignity as His children, sinless, pure in heart and truly loving. The most casual observer can see that the world is in need of such a transformation; but pride and selfishness reign supreme. Vast numbers remain blind to the fact that unless, through God's saving love, humanity becomes grounded in His precepts, it can never achieve its full and true stature nor enjoy the peace our heavenly Father longs to establish within and between His people. Gracious Father, teach us that unless we empty our hands of excessive, unnecessary earthly goods, we render ourselves unable to receive Your heavenly treasures. Amen. - Marie Bocko, ocds ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) YOU CAN HELP to evangelize the Word of God! Please recommend our website to your friends and Catholic webmasters at: http://www.borg.com/~joachim/DailyMeds.html (case sensitive) Also, the meditations are now in weblog form at http://dailymed.blogspot.com/ ARCHIVED Meditations: http://www.abcsoffaith.com/quiet/quietplace.html and at: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] For ALL communications, including subscribe/unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (c)1986-2002 The Way, The Truth, The Life. Permission granted to make reprints of the meditations or to post on any web page, except for profit. Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible with Revised New Testament and Revised Psalms (c)1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. and are used by permission of the copy-right owner. All Rights Reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.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, August 19, 2002
