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It is clear that he (she) does not pray, who, far from uplifting himself to God, requires that God shall lower Himself to him, and who resorts to prayer not to stir the person in us to will what God wills, but only to persuade God to will what the person in us
wills.
- Thomas Aquinas
(Thy will be done . . . the way to peace!) |
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ROM 4:20-25; LUKE 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
LK
12:13-21
Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,
"Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."
He replied to him,
"Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?"
Then he said to the crowd,
"Take care to guard against all greed,
for though one may be rich,
one's life does not consist of possessions."
Then he told them a parable.
"There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.
He asked himself, 'What shall I do,
for I do not have space to store my harvest?'
And he said, 'This is what I shall do:
I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.
There I shall store all my grain and other goods
and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you,
you have so many good things stored up for many years,
rest, eat, drink, be
merry!"'
But God said to him,
'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;
and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?'
Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself
but is not rich in what matters to God."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"The words, 'It was credited to him,' were not
written with [Abraham] alone in view; they were intended for us too. For our faith will be credited to us also if we believe in Him Who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead." —Romans 4:23-24
The patriarch Abraham believed God in a very difficult matter. "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him" as righteousness (Rm 4:3, 22; see also Gn 15:6).
Many are focused on improving their credit score. Without a good credit score, it can be very difficult to get a loan, rent an apartment, or do basic things to make a living. Many people pay very close attention to their credit rating. They worry about it and change their lives in order to improve their credit score.
The man in today's Gospel reading who had a good harvest would have had a high credit score. He had provisions in store for years to come (Lk 12:19). Yet all his treasures existed for himself, not for God. When he died that same evening, his high worldly credit score suddenly meant nothing for his eternal future.
Deposit your treasures in heaven, not on earth (Mt 6:19-20). That is where your true treasure should lie. Set your hearts, and credit rating, on the Lord above (Col 3:1-2). God does not keep score, and we cannot earn points to curry His favor. But He does credit our obedient faith to us (Rm 4:23-24). So seek to have the faith of Abraham. Believe God
for all things and at all times.
Prayer: "Lord, 'increase our faith' " (Lk 17:5). Give me obedient, water-walking faith.
Promise: "He has dealt mercifully with our fathers and remembered the holy covenant He made." —Lk 1:72 Presentation Ministries
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Theological Gems from Emile Merch's Theology of the Mystical Body - selected by Jim and Tyra Arraj
Book V: In Christ
Chapter 19: Sanctifying Grace
613. Grace is personal in each person.
The supernaturally personal character of grace is what causes the supernaturally personal character of holiness, of the theological virtues, and of the whole eternal life of each Christian, and É of each saint in heaven.
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