SCRIPTURE READINGS:?PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11; LUKE 14:15-24
We have just celebrated the Solemnity of All Saints when we were reminded of our vocation to holiness in Christ.? On the Feast of All Souls, we reflected on how like the souls, we need to purify ourselves in love for God and for others each day.? In today?s scripture readings, we are invited to reflect on the obstacles that hinder us from sharing in the heavenly banquet, a symbol of the life of the communion of saints and our life with God.? In the gospel, Jesus began His parable by saying, ?Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!? But the tragedy is that those who have been invited were not interested to come.? This was in spite of the fact that during the time of Jesus, a pre-notice for the dinner would have been given, followed by the invitation on the actual day.
In many ways, we are not much different from those who excused themselves from attending the banquet.? Indeed, by virtue of our baptism we have all in principle accepted the invitation to share in the life of God and to be a member of the Body of Christ, the communion of saints.? But today, we lack enthusiasm and commitment to a life of Christian discipleship.? What could be the reasons for the indifference, apathy or negligence in our relationship with the Lord?? We continue to live a life of sin and justify ourselves for not living an authentic Christian life.? What are some of the common lame excuses we give to soothe our conscience?
Firstly, the failure to be committed to our prayer life and the Christian community we belong to is always due to work.? This was the apology given by the man who said, ?I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.?? If work is a good excuse, then we can give a thousand and one reasons why we have no time to pray, grow in our spiritual life or attend Church services.? Who does not have work to do?? Work has no end.? The question is whether we are working for God or working for ourselves.? More importantly, are we doing the work of God or simply doing God?s work?? We can be engaged even in doing good things but more for ourselves rather than out of love for Him.? The one who says, ?I?m so busy.? Work is my prayer? is deluding himself.? Work can be our prayer only provided we first begin the day with prayer.? Only a man who is deeply conscious of God?s presence can consecrate his whole day and all his activities to God for the love of Him and for the good of his fellowmen.? Or else, how do we explain our ambitious and competitive spirit that breeds impatience, slander, dishonesty, manipulation and intolerance of others?
The second obstacle to living a life of the kingdom is the temptation to activities and novelties.? Those of us who are sensitive to the working of the evil spirits will know how the Evil One will distract a man of goodwill to focus on other activities when he decides to pray.? The Devil will suggest to him that he could perhaps do one thing first, like tidying his cupboard, or call a friend, or write an urgent email, or try out the latest gadget that he has bought.? This was certainly what the second man conducted himself when he said, ?I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out.?
By allowing distractions, especially our possessions and trivial matters, to occupy our attention, we neglect the most essential and important thing in our life, which is our relationship with God.? If we truly believe that God is the most important person in our lives, without which we lose all focus and perspective with regard to the other areas of our life, then necessarily, the first place must be given to God in everything we do.? We must begin the day with prayer and end the day with prayer.? God?s presence must prevail throughout the day, especially when we make the daily examen of conscience at periodical intervals during the day.? Alas, prayer and reading the Word of God are among the last things we do if at all.? We place internet, the TV and other possessions or personal interests before Him.? Very soon we would have no taste for His love and presence.
The third apology given by the guest was that he had just got married.? This seems again to be a valid reason proposed to us by the Evil One.? We often put our family and human relationships before God.? We neglect our commitment to a life of prayer, study and service to God because of personal attachment.? We are willing to spend hours in cultivating friendship with others, being with our family members and doing things for our loved ones.? But we have no time available for the love and service of God.? Little do we realize that no true love and lasting relationship can be built if such relationships are not grounded in God.? Relationships that are founded on mutual love alone are fragile since human love is fickle-minded, self-serving, insecure and possessive.? True love can only be given by God, a love that is unconditional, selfless, humble and faithful.
When we have no room for Jesus in our hearts, very soon, things of this world will take possession of us.? Either we are possessed by the love of God or are possessed by the world.? One becomes what he desires to possess.? Those who desire money and power will be consumed by them.? They will dictate the way they live their lives and the values they hold.?? If we allow God to possess us or we seek to possess God, then we allow the Lord to take charge over our lives.? Where your heart is, there is your treasure.? If we do not want ourselves to be reduced to a material being, then we must be sensitive to our spirit that seeks union with God.? If not, our hearts will be restless and we become insecure, anxious and agitated by the vicissitudes of life.? We are easily swayed by the other attractions in the world. When we lack a discerning heart as to what is truly essential for us, we harm not only ourselves but those whom we profess to love.? Not all good works come from the Lord because the Devil quite often comes under the guise of light.? Without a discerning love, we will end up deceiving ourselves into thinking that we are doing the work of God.
In the light of our lack of discretion, the first reading offers us the way to live our lives, which is to be focused on God so that everything will have its proper place.? Jesus our exemplar of consecration to God shows us the way of self-emptying. ?As the hymn reads, ?His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross.?? Indeed, only when we empty ourselves of ourselves, can the grace and power of God fill us.? So long as we want to maintain our power and rely on ourselves, our possessions and talents, God cannot make use of us fully.? To give ourselves to Jesus means that we must be ready to seek the Lord above all things.? By giving excuses for not having time for God, we only cheat ourselves.? It is not God who needs us but we need Him.? We are not doing Him a favour but He is doing us a favour by making Himself available to us.
How then can we recover our vocation and increase our zeal for Him?? Firstly, the gospel warns us about the danger of cheap grace.? Whilst it is true that God has freely invited us to His banquet without conditions, by ignoring the free gift of God, treating His gratuitous mercy with contempt, the price we have to pay for this rejection will be high.? St Paul reminds us that it cost the life of God?s only Son to save us from our sins.? The grace won by Christ for us all was paid by his blood, his suffering, his humiliation and abandonment on the cross.? No one has suffered, or been humiliated or abandoned, to the extent that Jesus was.? How could we therefore treat the grace of baptism given to us with indifference and without appreciation?
That is why if we fail to return to grace, then we need to contemplate on the love of Jesus for us on the cross.? St Paul in urging his fellow Christians to live in unity among the saints prefaced his argument by saying, ?In your minds you must be the same as Christ Jesus.?? Until and unless we understand how much Jesus has loved us, we will not be able to respond with gratitude and love and be able to rejoice with the psalmist saying, ?I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people?.? So contemplating on the kenosis, the self-emptying love of Jesus will move us to tears and our hearts to love.? Most of, all by contemplating His passion at every Eucharist we celebrate or in the Blessed Sacrament, we too will be renewed in love and strength.
Finally, the gospel warns us that those who are invited and failed to respond will only live to regret that others have taken our place.? It would be a pity to hear the words of Jesus addressed to us, ?I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet.??? Indeed, it is tragic that we who have been given the gift of sonship in baptism do not appreciate this gift.? Others who have to pay a price to find Jesus will be the ones who are happily sharing the life of the kingdom whereas we are put out of it.
Written by Rev. Fr. William Goh
Spiritual Director, Catholic Spirituality Centre (CSC)
? All Rights Reserved
___________________________
Best Practices of Daily Scripture Reflections ? By Fr William Goh
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge?rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing?a personal and affective?relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Source: http://csctr.net/tuesday-6november-2012-31st-week-ordinary-time
bret michaels bret michaels pekingese tcu football westminster bonnaroo 2012 lineup twisted metal
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.