MEDITATIONS
Posted by Batas Internet Media on Friday, November 5, 2010
Under: MEDITATIONS
By: Bobot Apit
Nov 5, 2010 - Friday Meditation (We are Called to Live Holy Lives!)
We look today to celebrate a group of those saints and blessed, Jesuits from the earliest companions of St Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, to those in our own lifetime who have signalized themselves by their unflinching focus on Christ and living lives modeled on His humility and obedience to God. Like all saints and wonderfully holy women and men throughout the ages, they deserve our respect and attention by the ways that they did “stand firm” in their commitment to Christ.
Feast of All Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus
National Jesuit Vocation Day
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Luke 16: 1-8 He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 And he called him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' 3 And the steward said to himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.' 5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?' 6 He said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 The master
commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
Meditation by Tom Shanahan, S.J.
Today we celebrate All the Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus. The readings for the day (Friday of the thirty-first week in Ordinary Time) are from St. Paul ’s Letter to the Philippians and the gospel is from St. Luke.
Paul writes to the Philippians from jail. The letter shows the great affection that he had for the people there and their faith and unity since the days that he preached Christ Jesus to them. But all is not well now in the sense that some have come to the Philippians and spread a “gospel” that was foreign to Paul’s original preaching/teaching. Today’s reading excoriates those called “judaizers” who insisted that the people return to the Mosaic Law and to circumcision. He refers to them as “enemies of the cross of Christ,” a strong warning to the Philippians of the danger of following them.
He encourages the people to “stand firm in the Lord.” What a powerful message for all of us to hear. The famous hymn from Philippians just earlier in the letter focuses on the humility and obedience of Christ Jesus, “Though he was in the form of God . . . he emptied himself . . . becoming obedient to death, even death on the cross.” Clearly that’s the way we are invited to live our lives, and, indeed, the saints throughout history became extraordinary in their imitation of Christ.
We look today to celebrate a group of those saints and blessed, Jesuits from the earliest companions of St Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, to those in our own lifetime who have signalized themselves by their unflinching focus on Christ and living lives modeled on His humility and obedience to God. Like all saints and wonderfully holy women and men throughout the ages, they deserve our respect and attention by the ways that they did “stand firm” in their commitment to Christ.
Be with us, dear Lord, as we hear Paul’s words today that invite us to focus our lives on you. Inspire in us the humility and the strength of character that comes from you as we daily “stand firmin the Lord” by taking up our crosses in humble imitation of you.
Supplementary Reading
Forgiven to Forgive!
"But He (Christ) said, 'My grace is sufficient for you...'" -2 Corinthians 12:9a, NIV
When you know you've been forgiven...that's when God calls you, too, to extend forgiveness.
When I was a child, my uncle owned a boat - a modest 27-foot cabin cruiser. He kept it in the water at Newport Beach , California , and I relished time spent cruising the bay and plowing through the swells offshore. Once a year, Uncle Al would put the boat in dry dock to clean and repair the bottom. My cousin Nick and I still enjoyed playing inside the boat even when it was out of the water.
One evening as we pretended to steer and manage the boat, the sun began to set. We found a lantern and hammered a small nail in the overhead wooden frame of the cabin's main hatch. We hung the lantern on the nail and continued our play. Later that night, Uncle Al discovered the nail. He wasn't very happy about it and let us know it. He chewed us out, and I was in trouble with him and my parents.
Many times after that, I was invited onboard for wonderful afternoon and evening cruises (sometimes, even John Wayne would wave to us from his bay-front yard). Neither my uncle, nor anyone else, ever mentioned the nail again. Yet, every time I was on the boat, the nail hole that I had made was there for me to see.
My uncle's expression of grace and the ongoing joy of my family aboard his boat were far more than sufficient to wash away the error I had made...but, like the little nail hole, there remains along our way Holy reminders of forgiveness received and forgiveness that we, too, are called upon to extend.
Dear Lord, I have been forgiven much. Clear my heart to be willing to accept it. Your grace is all I need. Guide me, show me persons that I, too, need to forgive. I love You, Lord. Amen.
Reminders of our past errors are easy to find and feel. Identify ONE today. Just one. Pray to Jesus and accept His unconditional grace regarding this one concern. When you know you've accepted His forgiveness—only then move on to another. - Jim Coleman
We look today to celebrate a group of those saints and blessed, Jesuits from the earliest companions of St Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, to those in our own lifetime who have signalized themselves by their unflinching focus on Christ and living lives modeled on His humility and obedience to God. Like all saints and wonderfully holy women and men throughout the ages, they deserve our respect and attention by the ways that they did “stand firm” in their commitment to Christ.
Feast of All Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus
National Jesuit Vocation Day
Philippians 3:17-4:1
Psalm 122: 1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5
Luke 16: 1-8 He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a steward, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 And he called him and said to him, `What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.' 3 And the steward said to himself, `What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that people may receive me into their houses when I am put out of the stewardship.' 5 So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, `How much do you owe my master?' 6 He said, `A hundred measures of oil.' And he said to him, `Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, `And how much do you owe?' He said, `A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, `Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 The master
commended the dishonest steward for his shrewdness; for the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
Meditation by Tom Shanahan, S.J.
Today we celebrate All the Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus. The readings for the day (Friday of the thirty-first week in Ordinary Time) are from St. Paul ’s Letter to the Philippians and the gospel is from St. Luke.
Paul writes to the Philippians from jail. The letter shows the great affection that he had for the people there and their faith and unity since the days that he preached Christ Jesus to them. But all is not well now in the sense that some have come to the Philippians and spread a “gospel” that was foreign to Paul’s original preaching/teaching. Today’s reading excoriates those called “judaizers” who insisted that the people return to the Mosaic Law and to circumcision. He refers to them as “enemies of the cross of Christ,” a strong warning to the Philippians of the danger of following them.
He encourages the people to “stand firm in the Lord.” What a powerful message for all of us to hear. The famous hymn from Philippians just earlier in the letter focuses on the humility and obedience of Christ Jesus, “Though he was in the form of God . . . he emptied himself . . . becoming obedient to death, even death on the cross.” Clearly that’s the way we are invited to live our lives, and, indeed, the saints throughout history became extraordinary in their imitation of Christ.
We look today to celebrate a group of those saints and blessed, Jesuits from the earliest companions of St Ignatius, the founder of the Society of Jesus, to those in our own lifetime who have signalized themselves by their unflinching focus on Christ and living lives modeled on His humility and obedience to God. Like all saints and wonderfully holy women and men throughout the ages, they deserve our respect and attention by the ways that they did “stand firm” in their commitment to Christ.
Be with us, dear Lord, as we hear Paul’s words today that invite us to focus our lives on you. Inspire in us the humility and the strength of character that comes from you as we daily “stand firmin the Lord” by taking up our crosses in humble imitation of you.
Supplementary Reading
Forgiven to Forgive!
"But He (Christ) said, 'My grace is sufficient for you...'" -2 Corinthians 12:9a, NIV
When you know you've been forgiven...that's when God calls you, too, to extend forgiveness.
When I was a child, my uncle owned a boat - a modest 27-foot cabin cruiser. He kept it in the water at Newport Beach , California , and I relished time spent cruising the bay and plowing through the swells offshore. Once a year, Uncle Al would put the boat in dry dock to clean and repair the bottom. My cousin Nick and I still enjoyed playing inside the boat even when it was out of the water.
One evening as we pretended to steer and manage the boat, the sun began to set. We found a lantern and hammered a small nail in the overhead wooden frame of the cabin's main hatch. We hung the lantern on the nail and continued our play. Later that night, Uncle Al discovered the nail. He wasn't very happy about it and let us know it. He chewed us out, and I was in trouble with him and my parents.
Many times after that, I was invited onboard for wonderful afternoon and evening cruises (sometimes, even John Wayne would wave to us from his bay-front yard). Neither my uncle, nor anyone else, ever mentioned the nail again. Yet, every time I was on the boat, the nail hole that I had made was there for me to see.
My uncle's expression of grace and the ongoing joy of my family aboard his boat were far more than sufficient to wash away the error I had made...but, like the little nail hole, there remains along our way Holy reminders of forgiveness received and forgiveness that we, too, are called upon to extend.
Dear Lord, I have been forgiven much. Clear my heart to be willing to accept it. Your grace is all I need. Guide me, show me persons that I, too, need to forgive. I love You, Lord. Amen.
Reminders of our past errors are easy to find and feel. Identify ONE today. Just one. Pray to Jesus and accept His unconditional grace regarding this one concern. When you know you've accepted His forgiveness—only then move on to another. - Jim Coleman
In : MEDITATIONS