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“Books,” said St. Augustine after his conversion, “could not teach me charity.” We still keep on thinking they can. We do not realize ... the utter distinctness of God and the things of God. Psychology of religion can not teach us prayer, and ethics cannot teach us love. Only Christ can do that, and He teaches by the direct method, in and among the circumstances of life.
... Evelyn Underhill (1875-1941), Light of Christ [1944]
(Life is the ultimate "laboratory" for testing our beliefs. Pray for the grace to be loving this day.)
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IS 1:10-17; PS 50:8-9, 16BC-17, 21 AND 23
MT 10:34-11:1
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace
upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s enemies will be those of his household.
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up
his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous
will receive a
righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"He who will not take up his cross and come after Me is not
worthy of Me." —Matthew 10:38
We are Christians, disciples of Christ. We follow Jesus, Who saved us not so much through His power or wisdom, but through His ministry of suffering. Jesus came to earth to die on the cross to atone for our sins, pay the price for our salvation (1 Cor 6:20), and reconcile us to God (C ol 1:20).
We must never over-spiritualize our faith and forget that Jesus suffered horribly in the flesh (Heb 5:8). Jesus died a disgraceful death. He was publicly humiliated, scorned as a condemned criminal. He Who was holy and innocent bore a cross meant for a murderer (Lk
23:25).
We Christians imitate Jesus. We take up our cross each day, deny our very selves, and follow in His footsteps (Lk 9:23). This is impossible in our human nature. Through our baptism into Jesus' cross and death, however, we become sharers in the divine nature (Rm 6:4; 2 Pt 1:4). Now we can embrace the cross as
Jesus embraced His cross. In the mystery of the cross, by taking up our cross, we discover who we are (Mt 10:39).
If you falter carrying your cross, remember that Jesus understands. He fell several times carrying His cross. He knows the cross is heavy but He also wants you to know the joy in sharing in His sufferings (1
Pt 4:13). So cross off your list anything that leads you away from Jesus' cross. Take up your cross.
Prayer: Jesus, may I know nothing but Your cross (1 Cor 2:2). May I be crucified to the world and the world to me (Gal 6:14).
Promise: "He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies Me; and to him that goes
the right way I will show the salvation of God." —Ps 50:23
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence - by Jean-Pierre de Caussade Section V: The Divine Influence Alone Can Sanctify Us
No reading, nor any other exercise can sanctify us except in so far as they are the channels of the divine influence. ___________
This fruit, as we have already said, is produced, nourished and increased by the performance of those duties which become successively present, and which are made fruitful by the same divine will. In fulfilling these duties we are always sure of possessing the “better part” because this holy will is itself the better part, it only requires to be allowed to act and that we should abandon ourselves blindly to it with perfect confidence. It is infinitely wise, powerful and
amiable to those who trust themselves unreservedly to it, who love and seek it alone, and who believe with an unshaken faith and confidence that what it arranges for each moment is best, without seeking elsewhere for more or less, and without pausing to consider the connexion of these exterior works with the plans of God: This would be the refinement of self-love
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