love

REFLECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL 24 NOVEMBER 2012

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Gospel Lk 20:27-40

This passage is difficult to understand on first reading. Here Jesus is answering the Sadducees questions on the topic of resurrection, which some believe in but many do not. Jesus responds as only God could know how. He describes the world out of this world, and that our lives here are a prelude to a heavenly time if they worship God while they are here. He guides them skillfully through how it will be. They will become “like angels”, and will be the ones who will rise. Notice how Jesus refers them to the God of the Old Testament and how he made himself available to the prophets; proving again his willingness as God to move together amongst mankind.

For us today, we have the ultimate act of Forgiveness for our sins in His death and resurrection, so we no longer have to debate whether resurrection is possible or not. All things are possible with God.
This path of a beautiful life, of which we are offered glimpses of His love daily. Regarding the afterlife, a friend recently sent me this note in response to a nice card that I sent him for Thanksgiving.

“The scenes are always heartwarming – God’s Eden and paradise – maybe someday – God willing.”

We live in hope that one day we will awaken in his kingdom and be united in his love and friendship.

REFLECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL–Thanksgiving Day 2012

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Lk 17:11-19

It is very appropriate that this Gospel is read for Thanksgiving Day Mass. When I was a child growing up in England the village had an Autumn Harvest Festival. While I know now that some of these celebration may go back to pagan times, when I was in the village of Semington, England, only the Protestant Churches seemed to celebrate this thankfulness for the crop. Now, after almost 30 years of living in the US, the Thanksgiving vacation has become very precious to our entire family. It is the time when we give thanks for all the gifts of the year, not just the crop or physical goods that God has given, but the love, friendship, assistance, fellowship and community of his presence in our lives. Especially though giving thanks for the gift of family.
Who leads this family? Who gives all the gifts? Who gives them to those that don’t go back and “thank him”, like the leper in today’s Gospel? It is God who makes all these things possible. Today, let us accept those gifts with a thankful heart and rejoice in the ever-loving God who created them.
A very Happy Thanksgiving.

Mike

THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 15 NOVEMBER 2012

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Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 494

Reading 1 Phln 7-20

Beloved:
I have experienced much joy and encouragement from your love,
because the hearts of the holy ones
have been refreshed by you, brother.
Therefore, although I have the full right in Christ
to order you to do what is proper,
I rather urge you out of love,
being as I am, Paul, an old man,
and now also a prisoner for Christ Jesus.
I urge you on behalf of my child Onesimus,
whose father I have become in my imprisonment,
who was once useless to you but is now useful to both you and me.
I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you.
I should have liked to retain him for myself,
so that he might serve me on your behalf
in my imprisonment for the Gospel,
but I did not want to do anything without your consent,
so that the good you do might not be forced but voluntary.
Perhaps this is why he was away from you for a while,
that you might have him back forever,
no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a brother,
beloved especially to me, but even more so to you,
as a man and in the Lord.
So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me.
And if he has done you any injustice
or owes you anything, charge it to me.
I, Paul, write this in my own hand: I will pay.
May I not tell you that you owe me your very self.
Yes, brother, may I profit from you in the Lord.
Refresh my heart in Christ.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:7, 8-9a, 9bc-10

R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Lk 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
“The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Then he said to his disciples,
“The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.