Wednesday

28th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul presents two lists that contrast the way in which we can live. One, where our baser passions are simply given free reign until they achieve their destructive logical conclusions, are the works of the flesh. It should sober us that many of the things Paul mentions in the list of works of the flesh are glamorized today, even admired. It’s no coincidence that at baptism we promise to reject the glamour of evil: indulging the flesh can be very attractive, but how many mornings after does it fill us with regret?

Not all passions are base or destructive, and a life guided by the Spirit helps us build on the better and nobler ones. If we consider the fruits of the Spirit we see an ideal that is worthy of admiration, something to which we can aspire in order to be a good friend or seek in order to find a good friend. The crucifixion we have to undergo is a process of deadening ourselves to the passions that would lead us to the works of the flesh. We’ll never completely deaden temptation in our earthly life, but we can reject it and the Spirit will help us.

Do a prayerful examination regarding both lists in today’s First Reading and ask the Spirit to help you start working toward the right one.

Readings: Galatians 5:18–25; Psalm 1:1–4, 6; Luke 11:42–46. See also 2nd Week of Lent, Tuesday; 28th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday; 21st Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday and Wednesday;  20th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday; and 9th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

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.

26th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Job shows the humility of acknowledging that the Lord is the judge of everything in matters of justice. This is wisdom, the fear of the Lord, understood to be respect, something Job has been showing him despite the tragedy he has suffered, recalled last Monday, along with health problems in the chapters that followed.

In the chapters leading up to today’s excerpt from Job his friends have been trying to convince him that his children (or he himself) must be guilty if Job has been punished in this way by the Lord. He’s still struggling with why his misfortune has happened when, in his eyes, he has done nothing wrong. He knows he cannot declare that the Lord is unjust, because it is impossible for the Lord to be unjust.

The Lord is often accused of injustice by those who are suffering, but that goes against who and what the he is. He always has the best of intentions and always has a perfect and accurate knowledge of the “facts” in the case. Job knows this, and sometimes we have to remind ourselves of it too. Let’s ask Our Lord for the grace to help us in our trials, not put him on trial when things don’t go our way.

Readings: Job 9:1–12, 14–16; Psalm 88:10bc–15; Luke 9:57–62. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday, Year II, 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Sunday, Cycle C, 10th Week of Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year II, and 26th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday.

 

23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Year II

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Today’s First Reading has something you don’t see very often: Paul giving his opinion instead of a commandment from Christ. The question is regarding celibacy and whether Our Lord commanded it for everyone. Paul’s response is that everyone is called to chastity, just not in the same way. Celibacy is refraining from the intimate relationship between a man and a woman normally done between two people married to each other. Chastity is a virtue for everyone, married or not: it means living your sexuality in accord with God’s plan.

In our highly sexualized culture chastity is a challenge to live today, and it is a challenge both married and unmarried people have to face. For the unmarried it means either awaiting that special someone with whom they’ll marry before living the intimacy that, God willing, will help them become parents as well as strengthen their love, or being sexually continent for love of the Lord. For the married it means fidelity to your spouse and honoring your spouse and the Lord in the way you live your sexuality.

Let’s pray for everyone, whatever their state and condition in life, to live chastely and in so doing to honor themselves, others, and Our Lord.

Readings: 1 Corinthians 7:25–31; Psalm 45:11–12, 14–17; Luke 6:20–26. See also 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday.

22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading Paul is warning the Christians at Corinth that their behavior is not spiritually mature, therefore they should not expect to be treated as spiritually mature. The proof of this is the fact that the Corithians are jealous and divided into factions based on who they feel more of an affinity, Paul or Apollos, both of whom have worked to help them grow in their faith.

Paul reminds them that both he and Apollos work for the Lord, and it is the Lord who should be the source of unity. If they have a problem with either minister of God, they have a problem with God himself, and that will end badly. Spiritual maturity is reflected in charity, and charity unites.

The Corinthians owed both Paul and Apollos their gratitude. If there’s any “factions” in our parish scene, let’s pray to Our Lord that he grant everyone the charity to be united in him and grateful to his ministers for helping them grow in spiritual maturity.

Readings: 1 Corinthians 3:1–9; Psalm 33:12–15, 20–21; Luke 4:38–44. See also 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday.