Thursday, October 26, 2017

ALERT AND AWARE, HUMBLE AND HOLY!

WORD 2day: 27th October, 2017

Friday, 29th week in Ordinary Time
Rom 7: 18-25; Lk 12: 54-59


For I do not do the good I want; but I do the evil I do not want - we all know well when we falter, as the psalmist words it, "for I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me" (Ps 51:3). Sin, that St. Paul speaks of today, is something that I do, or I give into consciously. 

None of us can feign ignorance and Jesus explains precisely that today in the Gospel: knowing exactly what is coming up the horizon! If only I am more sensitively aware of what happens within me at a moment, to what I am committing myself to, of what I am giving into, of what I am permitting into my mind, my thinking and my life... I can preserve myself from so much of pain and patch up. 

The statutes are present within me in my heart, the Saviour abides ever at my side...all that I need to, is turn to the Lord and to the Word of the Lord to be assisted, strengthened and saved! 

Let us be ever alert, not to fall prey to the evil; let us be humble to accept it when we actually fall; the fall may be slow and gradual but 'we will not be released until we pay the last penny!'

WITH HEARTS SET ON FIRE

WORD 2day: 26th October, 2017



Thursday, 29th week in Ordinary Time
Rom 6: 19-23; Lk 12: 49-53

With hearts set on fire... that is the way to live an authentic Christian life, declares the Gospel today. Fire can symbolically mean light that dispels darkness; one can choose either to live in the light or slumber in the shade - "the work of each will become visible,...because it will be revealed with fire"(1Cor 3:13) says the Word. 

Fire can symbolise the purifying fire which tests the genuineness of our faith, faith which is more precious than gold(1 Pet 1:7). It is all about choices! The choices we make, define the persons that we are. 

Every moment of our life, in our words, in our acts, in our thoughts, in our priorities, in every little decision that we make, we are making choices, we are continually defining who we are, to ourselves first of all and then to the world. Its a choice fundamentally - for death or for life! When we choose things that are ungodly we choose death. When we choose righteousness, the way of the Light, the fire of the Lord, we choose eternal life in Jesus Christ. 

The question is, are our hearts on fire?