FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION: TWENTY-THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR

FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION: 

TWENTY-THIRD WEEK OF THE YEAR

“As high as the heavens are above the earth,” so high are God’s ways and thoughts above ours. Whatever we see, our perspective is always from ground level.

Invitation:

Acknowledge that God is always right, even when you don’t understand, and live in trust as a “steward of his kingship,” entrusted with a truth, a goal, and a strategy for achieving it beyond human understanding.

Our faith: How many of these statements do you believe? And live?

A cut-rate religion is not a recognition of God. We have to give all for All. If we are not giving all, or aiming at it, we simply do not know God. If we are afraid of what we might lose, we don’t understand what God gives. This is “Monotheism 101.”

We don’t really “own” anything on this earth. As the “stewards of creation” we just manage for God whatever we have control over.

While still in time, we share in the eternal life of God. Hence our existence is already, in one sense, in heaven. We are “aliens and exiles” in this world. Our true “citizenship is in heaven.”

Luke 6:6-11: The sin of the “scribes and Pharisees” was that they refused to “stretch out their hearts” to what was new; especially to the “new wine” of life on the level of God.

Luke 6:12-19: Jesus chose twelve sinners and made them responsible for establishing the reign of God on earth. He called them to leadership — the two words that best express our baptismal consecration as “kings” or stewards.

Luke 6:20-26: The beatitudes could be read as promises paid off in heaven. But as stewards of his kingship, we strive to create an environment on earth that helps people live in such a way that they experience the “blessed life” here and now.

Luke 6:27-38: What “builds up” the Church is love. In every decision we should ask whether this is really the loving thing to do.

Luke 6:39-42: The truly blind are those who reject Jesus as their goal. What blinds us are our attachments. Or anything that distracts us from keeping Jesus in focus.

Luke 6:43-49 invites us both to judge our behavior by the desires and intentions of our hearts; and to judge the true intention of our hearts by our behavior.

Decisions:

Be a faithful steward: use the gift of faith to direct all you do. Act in the present in the light of the future. Invest love to increase love.

Be a steward of the mystery. Make your life an expression of your faith. Strive against what obscures it. Trust in the grace of your sanctification.