Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
By Beth DeCristofaro
I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved. (1 Tim 2: 1-4)
“Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.” … (Jesus said) “I tell you, not even in
Piety
As I go sinful and worn to your house, please accept me, Lord. As I return from the fields exhausted and see the sounds of congratulations for the undeserving and sinful, open my heart that I might accept your joyful mercy Lord. As I watch the road, Lord, may I see those who need me and may I welcome them in your name. Amen
Study
http://www.usccb.org/nab/091707.shtml
Love, here in the form of including and respecting, just keeps coming up again and again in Scripture. Paul has heard and completely comprehended Jesus’ teachings. The notes to the NAB tell us of 1 Timothy that the liturgical prayer in the community for Christians and non-Christians alike “aids the community to achieve peaceful relationships with non-Christians (1 Tim 2:2) and contributes to salvation, since it derives its value from the presence within the community of Christ…(1 Tim 2:3-6).”
Jesus shows such a gentle respect for anyone he teaches or anyone, Jew or not, who approaches him with sincere longing to learn or believe. He stands in the road watching for those who “return” and wishes us to do the same. He offers freedom from guilt, intolerance, persecution, imprisonment, poverty and the confinement of ill-health through His gentle welcome to return to God. Human life is so precious to him that he grieves when people refuse him.
Action
What do we do with our freedom to choose life or death?
There was a story in the Wall Street Journal last week about a woman who was refused Medicare coverage for cancer treatments because she was diagnosed at a clinic that does not get funding from a federal cancer-detection program. There was a federally-funded clinic right down the road where, if she had been seeing a doctor at that clinic, she would have been given Medicare help. (“Legal Loophole Ensnares Breast-Cancer Patients” Tues., Sept. 23, p. 1) Do we accept institutional injustice with a serious shake of our heads or do we move to change it?
There is a remarkable video on “Youtube.” What do we do with seemingly insurmountable problems in our lives or of those we love? Watch what this young, one-legged man, does with his disability. Can we pray with joy and longing that, no matter what, the best will happen because God loves us? Do we know that Jesus “steps in” even when we aren’t able to be hopeful? “Footloose! Dancing on One Foot” http://youtube.com/watch?v=GlIoovkn8f8
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