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Peace is not arbitrary. It must be based on definite facts. God has all the facts on his side; the world does not. Therefor God, and not the world, can give peace. - Billy Graham
(Truth has a relationship with facts, and the truth will set us free. Jn. 8:32) |
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1 COR 11:17-26, 33; PS 40:7-8A, 8B-9, 10, 17
LK 7:1-10
When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
"He deserves to have you do this for him,
for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue
for us."
And Jesus went with them,
but when he was only a short distance from the house,
the centurion sent friends to tell him,
"Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;
and to another, 'Come here,' and he
comes;
and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it."
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
"I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
When the messengers returned to the house,
they found the slave in good health.
USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture |
"Do this in remembrance of Me." —1
Corinthians 11:24
The early Church met in homes for the first several centuries of its existence. The liturgical form of the Mass was still evolving. Thus, the admonitions St. Paul mentions in today's first reading may sound foreign to our ears (1 Cor 11:20-22). There was some fellowship and hospitality in the homes in addition to the Mass. Some people overindulged while others went
hungry.
Decades ago, I attended a retreat which illustrated the scenario mentioned in today's first reading very nicely. The retreat closed with a common meal in which everyone ate together in a large dining room. The food would be distributed in the same proportions as the population of the world would eat that evening. A few people were given a full steak and shrimp dinner with wine. Several others were served a meal of
hamburger, potatoes, and milk. The other 75% of the retreatants were served a meager bowl of beans and rice with water to drink. All were instructed to eat together at the same large table. No one could share food or drink. Those with a plentiful meal commented afterward how much they wished they could share their food with those who had little. The message was one of unity and to live simply so that others could simply live.
The Church no longer serves any food at Mass except the Eucharist, the food of unity. Unity was St. Paul's objective, and is also that of Jesus (see Jn 17:21). We call the Eucharist "Communion," a word which can mean "Common Unity."
Prayer: Holy Spirit, Source of Unity (Eph 4:3), may everything we do, whether we eat or drink (1 Cor
10:31), be done to gather together into one the dispersed children of God (Jn 11:52).
Promise: "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me." —1 Cor 11:25 Presentation Ministries
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Abandonment to Divine Providence - by Jean-Pierre de Caussade Section VII: To
estimate degrees of excellence
The perfection of souls, and the degree of excellence to which they have attained can be gauged by their fidelity to the order established by God. ____
Books and wise counsels, vocal prayer and interior affections if they are in accordance with the will of God are instructive, and all help to guide and to unify. In condemning all sensible means to this end quietism is greatly to blame, for there are souls that are intended by God to keep always to this way. Their state of life and their attraction show this clearly enough. It is vain to picture any kind of abandonment from which all personal activity is excluded. When God
requires action, sanctity is to be found in activity. Besides the duties imposed on everyone by their state of life God may require certain actions which are not included in these duties, although they may not be in any way opposed to them. An attraction and inspiration are then the signs of the divine approval. Souls conducted by God in this way will find a greater perfection in adding the things inspired to those that are commanded, taking the necessary precautions required in such cases, that
the duties of their state may not clash with those things arranged by Providence.
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