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The truth is neither mine nor his nor another’s; but belongs to us all whom Thou callest to partake of it, warning us terribly, not to account it private to ourselves, lest we be deprived of it.
... St. Augustine (354-430)
(How can you be a better witness to truth?)
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2 THES1:1-5, 11-12; PS 96:1-2A, 2B-3, 4-5
MT 23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and
land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
"Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if
one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it."
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"It is no more than right that we thank God unceasingly for you, brothers, because your faith grows apace and your mutual love increases." —2 Thessalonians 1:3
Paul thanked the Lord unceasingly for the
Thessalonian Christians because their faith and mutual love grew. Paul expected the early Christians to grow in holiness and for their growth to be clearly recognizable. Thus, Paul could thank the Lord for their growth.
If someone asked us whether our faith has grown in the last twelve months, many of us would be at a loss to answer. We probably have an ambiguous idea that we should grow in holiness but are not
focused on our growth so that we can readily evaluate it. Yet isn't this partly the reason for the traditional Catholic practice of a daily examination of conscience? While we cannot quantify spiritual growth as precisely as other types of growth, growth in holiness can be determined to a point that we can thank the Lord for it.
Therefore, let us ask the Lord what areas in us needing growth He will be working on
from now till Advent. Let us ask Him what steps He wants us to take in cooperating with His grace. Let us expect to see ourselves grow in holiness and to begin Advent thanking the Lord for this growth.
Prayer: Father, may I want to grow in holiness more than I want pleasure or success.
Promise: "We pray for you always that our God may make you worthy
of His call, and fulfill by His power every honest intention and work of faith." —2 Thes 1:11
Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence - by Jean-Pierre de Caussade Section
VI: On the use of mental faculties
The exercise of mental and other faculties is only useful when instrumental of the divine action. ___________
The presence of God which sanctifies our souls
is the dwelling of the Holy Trinity in the depths of our hearts when they submit to His holy will. The act of the presence of God made in contemplation effects this intimate union only like other acts that are according to the order of God. There is, therefore, nothing unlawful in the love and esteem we have for contemplation and other pious exercises, if this love and esteem are directed entirely to the God of all goodness who willingly makes use of these means to unite our souls to Himself. In
entertaining the suite of a prince, one entertains the prince himself, and he would consider any discourtesy shown to his officers under pretense of wishing for him alone as an insult to himself.
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