How friendly we should all be with one another if nobody were interested in money and honor.
- St. Teresa of Avila
(How detached are you from these concerns?)
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Rom 1:16-25; Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
Lk 11:37-41
After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
Reflection on the Scriptures
It is easy to see the state of our inner being if we take time to notice our positive or negative internal movements --- our feelings of resentment when someone has more than we do, our feelings of distrust when someone of a different race stands near us or falls in love with us, or our anger when life doesn’t quite go our way. It is easy to see the state of our insides when our frustrations rise to the
surface when someone has a different opinion than we do, or even when we are gifted with new opportunities. Do we stop to check what is stirred up in our hearts and soul as we encounter others? Are we free enough to face our inner Pharisee? Have we checked the state of our inner being? Does it radiate with goodness, integrity, and compassion for others and ourselves? After we have shown the world how well we have polished our outer person --- our extensive knowledge
of church doctrine, our fine garments, our accomplishments, could we say we have done as much work on our heart and soul? Do we live what we believe?
There is a way to work on our inner being --- prayer, and discernment anchored with the word of God. The word of God is living and effective, says today’s gospel acclamation. The word of God would help us reflect and discern thoughts of our heart, cleanse our souls, and bring us closer to becoming women and men for and with others, as we look beyond our eyes and see beyond the
obvious.
- by Vivian Amu
The Son of God Became Human
From The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Part One, Section Two, Chapter Three
Article 8: I Believe in the Holy Spirit
IV. THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME
"Rejoice, you who are full of grace"
721 Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to
Mary.101 Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom."
In her, the "wonders of God" that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and the Church began to be manifested.
(Footnote references in the Catechism.)
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