Gather With Me

October 12, 2007

Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time

Let all who dwell in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming; Yes, it is near, a day of darkness and of gloom, a day of clouds and somberness! Like dawn spreading over the mountains, a people numerous and mighty! Their like has not been from of old, nor will it be after them, even to the years of distant generations. Joel 2:1-2

When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Luke 11:22-23

Piety

Father, help us to recognize your light in the world. Allow us to hold up a lamp so that others may see clearly what you ask of us in life: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with you. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/101207.shtml

How do we react when we confront evil in the world?

The people of Judah were hit with a swarm of locusts that devoured their land. They saw this as a sign that the day of the Lord was coming and that they faced the judgment of the Lord. However, in the reading from Luke, the people mistakenly judged Jesus’ healing powers as originating from Beelzebub. They mistook good origins for evil origins. We must be careful not to make the same mistake.

How do we react when we confront evil in the world? First, we have to recognize what is evil. And today, that may not be easy. Too often, evil tried to seduce us into slumber so much so that our eyes are not open enough to recognize it.

Evil is represented in this parable as the “strong man.” However, just as John the Baptist promised, when Jesus appears, He is more “powerful.” The strongest evil can be bowled over by the finger of God. “But if it is by the finger of God that (I) drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

Jesus even warns us to make the right choice: “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

With whom do we ally ourselves – with the power of good or the power of evil? The choices are expressed simply as either-or. We can not choose both paths.

Action

Life is made up of a lot of little choices and a few big choices. It is up to us to get them all right. Jesus tries to show us the pathway to consistently choosing to protect life.

The big choices affirm life. However, the little choices we face can involve simple changes we can begin making in our lives today to make the word a more just place to live. They can be as small as buying fair trade products that treat farmers more equitably or putting in energy saving light bulbs that conserve energy and contribute to easing the global climate issues.

What choice can you make today to help Jesus gather, not scatter?