Happy Birthday to my youngest child and daughter Teresa. Hard to believe she is now 15 years old and pressing me to get her driving permit. Richard, the ball is in your court. I don’t think the budget can handle another teenager on the insurance. Anyway, to my beautiful daughter Teresa – Happy Birthday.
Yesterday’s readings were full of lines to reflect upon. Let’s post a few here and do that today…
From the first reading…
God did not make death,
nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.
For God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made him.
But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world,
and they who belong to his company experience it.
Live by God’s law, live by God’s word, live by God’s love…live forever. God does not make death – God is about life…but choose the path of the devil and certainly you will find your way to death. Life is not the easy path, it is narrow and hard to follow but the path of the evil one is wide and smooth. Take a quick look at Deuteronomy 30:19 – “…I have placed before you life and death…”
from our Psalm…
Sing praise to the LORD, you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
For his anger lasts but a moment;
a lifetime, his good will.
At nightfall, weeping enters in,
but with the dawn, rejoicing.
R. I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me.
St. Paul had such a gift for conveying the message of God…I’m going to post the entire second reading for you to reflect on again today. I don’t care where you fall on the political/social spectrum, the words offered here by St. Paul are meant for all of us to pay heed to. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of a Nation – our Nation (A nation is distinct from a people, and is more abstract, and more overtly political than an ethnic group. It is a cultural-political community that has become conscious of its autonomy, unity, and particular interests.), these words should ring loudly in our ears.
Yesterday’s second reading…
Reading 22 COR 8:7, 9, 13-15
As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse,
knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you,
may you excel in this gracious act also.For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor,
so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Not that others should have relief while you are burdened,
but that as a matter of equality
your abundance at the present time should supply their needs,
so that their abundance may also supply your needs,
that there may be equality.
As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more,
and whoever had little did not have less.
he caught sight of a commotion,
people weeping and wailing loudly.
So he went in and said to them,
“Why this commotion and weeping?
The child is not dead but asleep.”
which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!”
The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.
At that they were utterly astounded.
St. Mary Magdalen Men of God 