September 17, 2011
Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time. 1 Timothy 6:14-15a
"But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance." Luke 8:15
Piety
Take Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will, all that I have and possess. Thou hast given all to me. To Thee, O lord, I return it. All is Thine, dispose of it wholly according to Thy will. Give me Thy love and thy grace, for this is sufficient for me. Ignatius Loyola
Study
How are we to keep the commandments? What with Netflix and shopping malls, retirement savings and unemployment fears, elections and distractions? How in the world can a message delivered to a group of poor, powerless Jews two thousand years ago apply to us? Very easily!
Many today are on the path to salvation by whatever their faith tradition. However, even those who have had the word in their hearts can be distracted by the temptations of Broadway, Madison Avenue, Wall Street, Hollywood, K Street and Capitol Hill. Whatever distracts you from keeping the two basic commandments that Jesus laid out takes the word from your heart. What is your distraction?
If the Word has not grown in your heart, you need to make sure it has a place to take root. We cultivate our garden with piety, study and action. These are the basis for removing the rocky ground from our path. Joy alone is not enough. The temporary -- but wonderful -- emotional high experienced on a Cursillo Weekend or any other powerful faith experience must be kept alive from the distractions in life that will make that joy fade. Without the reinforcement and renewal of your community and friends, without the Mass, without the sacraments, the joy will have nothing to fertilize it and help it to continue to grown in your heart. What is your fertilizer?
In these days of high unemployment, high gas and energy prices, declining home values, natural disasters that happen almost weekly, wars, and uncertainty, we can easily be led to anxiety and the pursuit of the pleasures of life, liberty and happiness. What are your thorns?
Action
Identify one of your distractions or thorns and replace it with some fertilizer.
