By
Beth DeCristofaro
Now
thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways! You have sown much, but have
brought in little; you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; You have drunk,
but have not been exhilarated; have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed;
And whoever earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it. (Haggai 1:6)
Who
then is this about whom I hear such things?” And (Herod) kept trying to see
him. (Luke 9:9)
Piety
Set our hearts aflame, O Lord, with
the Spirit of your charity, we pray, that we may always think thoughts worthy
and pleasing to your majesty and love you sincerely in our brothers and sisters.
Through Christ our Lord.
Study
Several of our friends served as
Eucharistic Ministers or attended Mass with the Pope yesterday. As Jean, Jeff, Chris, Gary, Jean, Mel,
Robert, Tuck and others prepared for their time with Pope Francis, I was
thankful that the Pope would be surrounded by so many holy people who hold him
up with their prayers and spirits. And
then I was even more grateful that Pope Francis sees holiness in each of us,
often in spite of ourselves, and calls us to act on that internal well of grace
gifted us by our loving God.
In today’s Gospel, Herod speculates
about tales of a wonder-worker. Herod
beheaded John who chastised him on his adultery. Often authority and power do not want to be
challenged with morals or truth. And of
course we know that Herod did, in fact, see Jesus. When Jesus was brought before him on trial,
Jesus refused to play Herod’s games.
Herod rendered himself blind both to Jesus’ divinity and holy humanity by
his own ego and cruelty. Herod worked,
was Tetrarch, at the pleasure of Rome which resulted in wages that secured him
only a bag with holes in it. He traded
in the gift of Life offered by Jesus for a life of pomp and excess.
Action
The media coverage and excitement over
the Pope’s visit is reassuring. It says how
much people long for something bigger, holier and need a moral compass. The cheering crowds are energizing; I teared
up as I saw our Catholic Vice President greeting Pope Francis at Joint Air
Force Base Andrews. But I wonder when the
last time was when I cheered and jumped for joy when I spent time with Jesus in
prayer? How can I reinvigorate my desire
to “see” Jesus in the everyday, ordinary “parade” of events which is my
life? How to best to show my excitement
and gratitude that the Savior of the world chooses to spend time with me? How can you?
Do we sow, eat, drink, buy or work for wages which are ephemeral or
eternal?
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