Wednesday - October 30, 2019
"Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast. The first thing which kindles ardour in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God?"
~ Saint Ambrose
October 30 2019
Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 481
Reading 1ROM 8:26-30
Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will.
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit himself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because he intercedes for the holy ones
according to God's will.
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
For those he foreknew he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
so that he might be the firstborn
among many brothers.
And those he predestined he also called;
and those he called he also justified;
and those he justified he also glorified.
Responsorial PsalmPS 13:4-5, 6
R.(6a) My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death
lest my enemy say, "I have overcome him";
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation;
let me sing of the LORD, "He has been good to me."
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Look, answer me, O LORD, my God!
Give light to my eyes that I may not sleep in death
lest my enemy say, "I have overcome him";
lest my foes rejoice at my downfall.
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
Let my heart rejoice in your salvation;
let me sing of the LORD, "He has been good to me."
R. My hope, O Lord, is in your mercy.
AlleluiaSEE 2 THES 2:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God has called us through the Gospel
to possess the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 13:22-30
Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
"Lord, will only a few people be saved?"
He answered them,
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
'Lord, open the door for us.'
He will say to you in reply,
'I do not know where you are from.'
And you will say,
'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'
Then he will say to you,
'I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!'
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last."
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
"Lord, will only a few people be saved?"
He answered them,
"Strive to enter through the narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
'Lord, open the door for us.'
He will say to you in reply,
'I do not know where you are from.'
And you will say,
'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'
Then he will say to you,
'I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!'
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be last."
******************************
ALL THINGS ARE WORKING FOR YOUR GOOD
When you walk to your mailbox, into church, through a parking lot, down the street, or anywhere else that your feet take you, what do you usually look at? Are you watching your feet? And the ground go by? Or is your head up? Are you observing how beautiful the clouds look and appreciating the way the tree branches intermingle and raise their leaves toward heaven?
Keep walking. When there's a crowd blocking your path, do you look for the easiest route around and through them? Or do you look at those people with admiration for God's handiwork and recall that he loves them all?
Directing our sight upward is great spiritual exercise. It helps us to understand and live in the truth of today's first reading. As Saint Paul points out, instead of focusing on our weaknesses, instead of noticing how our prayers are not being answered, instead of paying attention to our insufficiency and powerlessness when praying for big needs, we should remember the love and power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God partners with us, leads us, and prays with us. In whatever we're lacking, whatever's missing or not yet accomplished, God's Spirit within us can fill up the gaps and provide peace.
Look at that! Look at the goodness of God! Keep your eyes on Jesus!
No matter how bad a trial has been, no matter how destructive it seems, if we give it to Jesus, he redeems it. Redemption means that something bad or worthless is converted into something good (like redeeming a coupon at the grocery store, which is just a piece of paper until we use it to buy something).
Jesus always uses everything for the good of those who love him. We can benefit from even the worst of hardships. The benefit might be more inner strength, or fuller compassion, or special blessings and graces. There is no evil that God cannot or will not defeat by redeeming it into something useful for his kingdom.
There is no victimization without victory if we turn it over to Jesus.
Of course, asking God to redeem a bad situation isn't enough. We have to keep our eyes on Jesus, looking upward to see the good that he raises from the bad. We have to embrace what the Father gives us instead of turning away and pouting, "But that's not what I want! Why won't You give me what I've been praying for? Why won't You do it my way?"
When we have difficulty seeing the good that God is doing in a bad situation, we can pray what the psalmist did in the responsorial Psalm today: "Give light to my eyes ... let my heart rejoice in Your salvation; let me sing that the Lord has been good to me."
We experience joy in the midst of suffering when we stop watching the dirty ground beneath us and look up to observe the beauty and the blessings that God has placed around us. This is when we can genuinely proclaim: "All my hope, O Lord, is in Your loving kindness!"
Today's Prayer
Jesus, when it is my turn to go home to You, I hope You receive me with the doors open telling me, "Come, blessed of my Father." Help me listen to Your Holy Spirit and follow Your teachings until my last breath. Amen.
God Bless You.....
Rosary Family
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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