Pride makes us forgetful of our eternal interests. It causes us to neglect totally the care of our soul.
-- St John Baptist de la Salle
Pride makes us forgetful of our eternal interests. It causes us to neglect totally the care of our soul.
-- St John Baptist de la Salle
Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 372
Reading 1
Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.
Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,
so that the land could not support them if they stayed together;
their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.
There were quarrels between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock
and those of Lot’s.
(At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites
were occupying the land.)
So Abram said to Lot:
“Let there be no strife between you and me,
or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are kinsmen.
Is not the whole land at your disposal?
Please separate from me.
If you prefer the left, I will go to the right;
if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.”
Lot looked about and saw how well watered
the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar,
like the LORD’s own garden, or like Egypt.
(This was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)
Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain
and set out eastward.
Thus they separated from each other;
Abram stayed in the land of Canaan,
while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain,
pitching his tents near Sodom.
Now the inhabitants of Sodom were very wicked
in the sins they committed against the LORD.
After Lot had left, the LORD said to Abram:
“Look about you, and from where you are,
gaze to the north and south, east and west;
all the land that you see I will give to you
and your descendants forever.
I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth;
if anyone could count the dust of the earth,
your descendants too might be counted.
Set forth and walk about in the land, through its length and breadth,
for to you I will give it.”
Abram moved his tents and went on to settle
near the terebinth of Mamre, which is at Hebron.
There he built an altar to the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1b) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
whoever follows me will have the light of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,
lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.
“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.
This is the Law and the Prophets.
“Enter through the narrow gate;
for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,
and those who enter through it are many.
How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life.
And those who find it are few.”
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The Lonely Road to the Narrow Gate
Have you ever felt lonely because of your Christian faith? Do you have enough companions on the road of holiness? When Jesus said (as we see in our Gospel reading today) that the road to heaven is narrow, he had a dozen guys who lived in close community with him, several women friends (often including his mother), and a large contingent of followers who learned enough from him to go out and preach and heal and cast out demons.
But the road to Calvary was going to be mighty lonely.
Holiness is a rough road to travel, not only because we keep tripping over our own tendencies to sin, but also because we meet co-journeyers who choose not to stay the course. We also run into the dogs and swine that Jesus mentioned -- people who don't want to accept the truth about life in Christ nor put full effort into becoming more saintly. They join us on this road but they either attack the faith or they attack us and leave us sitting on the curb weary and wounded.
And while we wait for someone to come by and tend to our wounds, we notice that too few stop to help, too few understand our needs, and too few are healed enough of their own wounds to give us what we need. Did God intend for us to feel so alone? No, because we are not alone!
When Jesus needed more from his friends, who were too few or too sleepy, he went to the Father. We will always feel somewhat lonely here on earth, because the Father's embrace is not a physical hug, but we never need to feel alone. A habit of deep prayer puts us in touch with the reality that God is with us every step of the way. Jesus is right beside us, holding our hand, kissing our wounds, crying with our hurts, laughing at our jokes, dancing in our joys.
Human companionship is equally important. Jesus spent personal time with those who became especially close to him. Even while he suffered on the cross, he experienced the undying love and loyalty of two: his mother and John. As you hang on your own cross, who is at the foot of it, weeping? If you can't see someone there, ask Jesus to open your eyes.
When Jesus promised that he'd never abandon us, he intended to fulfill this through his earthly presence, the Body of Christ on earth, which is our faith community. But we want our Johns to be Jesuses. We want our companions on the road to be already perfectly holy. And so we look right past them and miss what God is offering to us through them.
Recall that Jesus often went to dinner parties. Fun fellowship is an important way to get to know others who are on the road to heaven. We won't find our co-journeyers by sitting alone in our prayer rooms. Time alone with God is necessary, but we'd better be using that time to become better at finding and mingling with the companions he's providing.
Today's Prayer
Beloved Jesus, give me your light to discover the path that leads me to you. Give me wisdom to neither divert nor distract myself from it. Give me strength not to dismay when loneliness is cruel. May the joy of your Holy Spirit accompany me, until we meet, my Jesus, door to eternal life. Amen.
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God Bless You.....
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