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Wisdom of 30th Sunday

Posted by junix28 on October 24, 2010 in My personal notes & preferences

A Tale of a Bad Man

Once, a very bad man died and went before the judgment throne. Before him stood Abraham, David, Peter and Luke. A chilly silence hung heavy in the room as an unseen voice began to read the details of the man’s life. There was nothing good that was recorded. When the voice concluded, Abraham spoke: “Men like you cannot enter the heavenly kingdom. You must leave.”

“Father Abraham,” the man cried, “I do not defend myself. I have no choice but to ask for mercy. Certainly you understand. Though you lied to save your own’s life, saying your wife was your sister, by the grace and mercy of God you became a blessing to all nations.”

David interrupted, “Abraham has spoken correctly. You have committed evil and heinous crimes. You do not belong in the kingdom of light.”

The man faced the great king and cried, “Son of Jesse, it is true. I am a wicked man. Yet I dare ask you for forgiveness. You slept with Uriah’s wife and later, to cover your sin, arranged his death. I ask you only forgiveness as you have known it.”

Peter was next to speak, “Unlike David, you have shown no love to God. By your acid tongue and your vile temper, you have wounded the Son of God.”

“I should be silent,” the man muttered. “The only way I have used the blessed name of Jesus is in anger. Still, Simon, Son of John, I plead for grace. Though you walked by his side and listened to words from his lips, you slept when he needed you in the garden, and you denied him three times in his night of greatest need.”

Then Luke the evangelist spoke, “You must leave. You have not been found worthy of the Kingdom of God.

The man’s head bowed sadly for a moment before a spark lit in his face. “My life has been recorded correctly,” the man began slowly. “I am guilty as charged. Yet I know there is a place for me in this blessed kingdom. Abraham, David, and Peter will plead my cause because they know of the weakness of man and the mercy of God. You blessed physician, will open the gates to me   because you have written of God’s great love for the likes of me. Don’t you recognize me? I am the lost sheep that the Good Shepherd carried home. I am your younger, prodigal brother.”

And the gates opened and Luke embraced the sinner.

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30th Sunday Readings

Posted by junix28 on October 24, 2010 in Homilies
First reading Ecclesiasticus 35:15-17,20-22 ©
The Lord is a judge
who is no respecter of personages.
He shows no respect of personages to the detriment of a poor man,
he listens to the plea of the injured party.
He does not ignore the orphan’s supplication,
nor the widow’s as she pours out her story.
The man who with his whole heart serves God will be accepted,
his petitions will carry to the clouds.
The humble man’s prayer pierces the clouds,
until it arrives he is inconsolable,
And the Lord will not be slow,
nor will he be dilatory on their behalf.
Psalm Psalm 33:2-3,17-19,23
Second reading 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18 ©
My life is already being poured away as a libation, and the time has come for me to be gone. I have fought the good fight to the end; I have run the race to the finish; I have kept the faith; all there is to come now is the crown of righteousness reserved for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that Day; and not only to me but to all those who have longed for his Appearing.
The first time I had to present my defence, there was not a single witness to support me. Every one of them deserted me – may they not be held accountable for it. But the Lord stood by me and gave me power, so that through me the whole message might be proclaimed for all the pagans to hear; and so I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from all evil attempts on me, and bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Gospel Luke 18:9-14 ©
Jesus spoke the following parable to some people who prided themselves on being virtuous and despised everyone else: ‘Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood there and said this prayer to himself, “I thank you, God, that I am not grasping, unjust, adulterous like the rest of mankind, and particularly that I am not like this tax collector here. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes on all I get.” The tax collector stood some distance away, not daring even to raise his eyes to heaven; but he beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” This man, I tell you, went home again at rights with God; the other did not. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
REFLECTION:
World Mission Sunday is for each Christian, missionary by virtue of baptism. To live the Christian life is to be an evangelizer, whether on the streets or in shopping malls, at home or in school, in the workplace or in the local market.
Would our lifestyle ever lead someone to the faith and cause the person to say: I want to be one of YOU! I saw your deeds! And it is worth living for!!!!
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Today’s Gospel

Posted by junix28 on October 21, 2010 in Homilies
Gospel Luke 12:49-53 ©
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were blazing already! There is a baptism I must still receive, and how great is my distress till it is over!
‘Do you suppose that I am here to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on a household of five will be divided: three against two and two against three; the father divided against the son, son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law, daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’
REFLECTION:
Christ becomes a “sign of contradiction,” that is , people are divided over him- whether they are for him or against him. He cannot be ignored; one cannot remain neutral; one must take a stand. Since the world has values contrary to Christ’s, division results between those who accept Christ and those who reject him. His good news is bad news for those who refuse him.
Other Readings>>>>>
First reading Ephesians 3:14-21 ©
This is what I pray, kneeling before the Father, from whom every family, whether spiritual or natural, takes its name:
Out of his infinite glory, may he give you the power through his Spirit for your hidden self to grow strong, so that Christ may live in your hearts through faith, and then, planted in love and built on love, you will with all the saints have strength to grasp the breadth and the length, the height and the depth; until, knowing the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge, you are filled with the utter fullness of God.
Glory be to him whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine; glory be to him from generation to generation in the Church and in Christ Jesus for ever and ever. Amen.
Psalm Psalm 32:1-2,4-5,11-12,18-19
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We are sinners…(jack mcardle)

Posted by junix28 on October 20, 2010 in My personal notes & preferences

A saintly old woman was out for a short stroll one night before going to bed. It was a beautiful night, clear sky, bright stars, full moon. The old woman was deeply touched as she looked up at the sky. With a deep sense of reverence at the awesomeness of God, and his creation, and her own limited humanity, she fell on her knees, and cried out, ‘Oh God of infinite goodness and beauty, please don’t ever let me offend you in the slightest, tiniest way again.’ Then she heard a voice saying, ‘My child, if I granted that request to everyone, how could I ever show my infinite mercy and forgiveness, which is one of the clearest ways I have to let people know and experience my love?’

-If I can forgive another often enough,  I will really come to have a real love for that person.

-Forgiveness is the preservative that keeps love from going bad, or from dying.

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