Tuesday

25th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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The proverbs in today’s First Reading remind us that wisdom is worth seeking and no one has a monopoly on it. It goes hand in hand with being an upright person. As the second proverb reminds us today, our conscience is not only formed by ourselves, but in conformity with what is right in the eyes of the Lord. Situations arise where our righteousness is put to the test, and in those moments it’s revealed how strong or how weak it is.

Although the word in not used in today’s First Reading, humility helps wisdom to grow. The proud, the rash, and the deceptive ultimately fail in the eyes of the Lord and in the eyes of the wise.

Some people today don’t have “grow in wisdom” on their list of to-do’s today. Let’s move it to the top of our list and ask Our Lord to help us.

Readings: Proverbs 21:1–6, 10–13; Psalm 119:1, 27, 30, 34–35, 44; Luke 8:19–21. See also 25th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday and 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

24th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul presents the initial teaching that would mature over the course of Church history into the teaching of the Church as the Mystical Body of Christ. Through baptism we are incorporated into the Mystical Body, a Body united and vivified by the Holy Spirit. Like a body we are many, but in Christ and the Holy Spirit we are one, and, like a body, every member has a role to play for the good of the whole body, even though we don’t all have the same role. A healthy organism has all its parts working and working in harmony.

The Mystical Body explains our unity and our diversity, but is also explains our responsibility. Some parts of a body could be considered more glamorous (the face, the hands, etc.), but each person needs to determine their role, and, in the case of the Church, their calling for the good of the Church and her mission. Whether your calling is glamorous or not, the Mystical Body needs it and needs you.

Let’s pray today for unity and harmony in Our Lord’s Mystical Body today for the good of the whole Body and our mission of evangelization.

Readings: 1 Corinthians 12:12–14, 27–31a; Psalm 100:1b–5; Luke 7:11–17.

 

23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul is lamenting that the Christians at Corinth are going to civil courts to resolve “domestic” disputes. Christians are called to be witnesses to love, especially with their fellow believers, and when they quarrel before an unevangelized public it makes the Gospel life they have committed to live ring hollow. The civil courts are unqualified to judge these disputes “in house” between believers because they haven’t experience the love they live in Christ.

Paul uses the striking example of the unjust becoming judges to make his point. Would you accept a death row inmate as a judge? Every Christian who has received baptism has become justified, become just, and that gives them an authority the unjust could never have with regard to Christians. This is not a cause for arrogance on the part of Christians, because, as Paul reminds us, before baptism we were all unjust as well and it is only by the Lord’s mercy that we have been rendered just again.

If we’re going to make a spectacle of ourselves with regard to one of our fellow believers, let’s make it a “spectacle” of the charity and mercy we show him, not another legal drama.

Readings: 1 Corinthians 6:1–11; Psalm 149:1b–6a, 9b; Luke 6:12–19. See also 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, 14th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday and Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles.

 

22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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When Paul in today’s First Reading describes our spirit, he describes something of which only we have intimate knowledge, since only we truly know our spirit regarding things and choose to reveal that spirit to others or keep it private, even though we can’t completely keep it hidden. The only exception to that rule is the Lord; he can scrutinize our deepest thoughts and aspirations. He can read our hearts, and he can invite us to assume a new spirit through our actions and attitudes.

He doesn’t do that to spy on us. He can transform our spirit into a spirit like his own: a Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. This Spirit does not annhilate our own; it enriches it in unimaginable ways. The Spirit is an invisible and interior ally that we can’t truly thrive without.

The Holy Spirit is with you if you let it. Invite the Spirit into your heart and ask it to reveal you to yourself so that your spirit may be pleasing to the Lord and transformed.

Readings: 1 Corinthians 2:10b–16; Psalm 145:8–14; Luke 4:31–37. See also 1st Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday and 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

21st Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul calms the first Christians who have been hearing rumors that the Day of the Lord is near, the day when Our Lord will return as Judge and the world as we know it will end. Every Christian believes that some day not only death will come, but also that one day the world as we know it will end. That can provoke a healthy fear or an unhealthy fear, a healthy hope or an unhealthy hope.

A healthy fear makes us realize that while we’ve done what we can, we could have always done more, and we must continue trying until the end. Perseverance in doing the good and the holy is essential, and we can never completely rest on our accomplishments. An unhealthy fear is that the return of Our Lord will be doom for everyone and everything. A healthy fear is that not everyone welcomes the Gospel message before the end, which is why we must continue to share the Gospel. Every moment before the Day of the Lord is a moment we can make it a joyous moment for one more soul on that Day.

A healthy hope is that if we believe and are faithful to Our Lord’s teachings we have nothing to fear upon his return. His mercy will make up for our shortcomings. An unhealthy hope is abusing of his mercy thinking we can do the minimum and still be found worthy when it matters. Let’s live our Christian lives with a healthy hope and a healthy fear, knowing that whenever Our Lord returns that will be sufficient.

Readings: 2 Thessalonians 2:1–3a, 14–17; Psalm 96:10–13; Matthew 23:23–26. See also 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday and 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.