FrNikola

27th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year II

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Even the Jews of Paul’s time recognized that people who did not have a Jewish heritage were attracted to their religion, but they didn’t understand it exactly to mean that the blessings the Lord promised to Abraham were meant for more than the people of Israel. Some who “converted” to Judaism in Paul’s time would always be a second-class citizen because they were not blood descendants of Abraham. Paul refers to the blessings promised to and through Abraham in today’s First Reading and explains that to become a descendant of Abraham in the salvific sense all you needed was faith, not lineage.

Abraham was reckoned as righteous because of his faith, not because of his lineage. In the liturgy we refer Abraham as “our father in faith” for this very reason. Paul today is encouraging the Galatians to not treat themselves like second-class citizens. Through their faith in Christ they, and we, connect to that lineage of faith that brings salvation. The “law” to which Paul refers is religious practice done without faith in Christ, as we considered yesterday. Without the grace won by Christ the Jews were not able to persevere in their religious practices, and neither would we.

Our faith will help us weather anything, of we let it. Let’s ask Our Lord to help us grow in faith and stay a part of Abraham’s lineage of faith.

Readings: Galatians 3:7–14; Psalm 111:1b–6; Luke 11:15–26. See also 3rd Week of Lent, Thursday and 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.

27th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday, Year II

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Paul reminds us in today’s First Reading that it is not just something that saves us, but someone. Without faith in Christ our baptism would have been nothing more than a wash of the forehead, because without faith in Christ he cannot act on our behalf. Every religious practice, from holy water to the Eucharist, is an opportunity for Our Lord to work some spiritual good in our lives, but only if we muster even a little faith in him to do so.

The Galatians in today’s First Reading were being beguiled by a lot of religious practices that seemed to be a guarantee of salvation, but Paul showed them the danger of putting their faith in their actions and not putting their faith in Christ. We have to work with Christ to ensure our salvation.

Take stock today of your religious observance and ask Our Lord to see whether you are just going through the motions or living a life of faith in him. Let the Holy Spirit help you live a life of the Spirit.

Readings: Galatians 3:1–5; Luke 1:69–75; Luke 11:5–13. See also 17th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, Cycle C, 1st Week of Lent, Thursday, and 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

27th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul recalls that after fourteen years, due to a “revelation,” he returned to Jerusalem to meet with the apostles in order to present the Gospel to them as he had preached it. This was seventeen years at least since his conversion. His faith was rewarded because the apostles confirmed that just as Peter was ministering to the Jews, Paul was ministering to the non-Jews. Even today one of the characteristics of bishops in the Church is their collegiality: they are participating in a common mission, a mission that also brings them together as brothers who share the burdens of spreading the Gospel and coordinate efforts. The synods are just one sign of that common effort.

Being a brother also sometimes requires fraternal correction. It’s hard for us to imagine that Paul would have the audacity to correct Peter, but even today Peter’s successor, the Pope, relies on brother bishops to help him make difficult decisions. Paul already had a wealth of experience spreading the Gospel among the Gentiles, and how damaging to the mission Judaizers had been. Peter had made a bad political decision and Paul called him on it. We know Peter received correction from Our Lord many times, and in his humility it appears he accepted Paul’s correction as well. Even Paul referred to him as Cephas, the Rock, and appreciated his unique role in the Church. That’s how brothers behave when one of them seems to be going astray, even when a little brother corrects a big one.

Let’s pray today for bishops to support one another in spreading the Gospel and to not get sidetracked by politics.

Readings: Galatians 2:1–2, 7–14; Psalm 117:1bc, 2; Luke 11:1–4. See also 17th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, Cycle C, 1st Week of Lent, Tuesday, and 11th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

27th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul recalls the years immediately following his conversion on the road to Damascus, a conversion where all his fundamental convictions regarding God’s will for him were put to the test. The first thing Paul did was leave Judea and head into the wide expanse of deserts known as Arabia, and in that desert he realized that he was called to be more than just a disciple of Our Lord; he had a special encounter that made him Our Lord’s apostle in a way not quite like the Twelve.

He only met the apostles years later, as he also recounts to the Galatians. In other letters he’d already face criticism about being a second-class apostle, but he knew what Our Lord was asking of him and set out to do it, conferring with the other apostles years later. It didn’t matter, because the same Gospel the Twelve had received from Our Lord was given to Paul to spread among the gentiles, including the Galatians, who were now being encouraged incorrectly to adopt Judaic practices that Paul had not taught them.

How do you handle life-shattering events? Do you turn up the volume or top off the whiskey, or do you seek the solitude and silence to hear Our Lord’s voice more clearly and process what he is asking you to do with your life? It’s never to late to close the door, shut down the laptop, and simply have a conversation with Our Lord.

Readings: Galatians 1:13–24; Psalm 139:1b–3, 13–15; Luke 10:38–42. See also 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, Cycle C, St. Martha, 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

27th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul reminds the Galatians, and he reminds us, that there is only one Gospel, one message, and changing it would make it something other than a road map for our salvation. Our Lord wanted to share a message of salvation with us, and he entrusted it to his apostles, who in turn transmitted it to their successors, century after century. The Church gives witness to this message and, aided by the Holy Spirit, ensures its accurate transmission and authentic application.

The Gospel message is not just important because it has survived two thousand years of human history, or because it contains great wisdom. The Gospel message is important because it was given to us by God. God the Son gave us this message, and anyone would agree that if you receive a message from God you should not only pay attention but also put it into practice. Our Lord today summarizes the core of the Gospel today: love for God and love for neighbor. Nothing else in the world, religious or otherwise, will save us if it is separated from that core message.

The case of the Galatians reminds us that even today people try to distort the Gospel message or simply misunderstand it. Just as the Galatians could count on Paul to keep them on track, let’s trust to Church to help us live the Gospel in a 100% authentic way.

Readings: Galatians 1:6–12; Psalm 111:1b–2, 7–9, 10c; Gospel Luke 10:25–37. See also 15th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, Cycle C, 3rd Week of Lent,Friday,  9th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday and 20th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, and 27th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.