Luke 21:5-11

 
It is easy to be short sighted as we witness the ‘reality show’ of this world. Our only natural response can be fear when we perceive the beauty and structure put in place in ages and years past, or even by our younger selves, crumbling, as “dust to dust and ashes to ashes” proceeds with its singular plot from ages past into eternity. But with his life, Jesus showed us a different perspective – the perspective of his Father. In God’s sight, the building of the temple and its destruction were the same.  In fact, in the context of eternity, the uprising and the demise of earthly powers are all in the same class of being; they are just ‘folds’ of history.  Indeed, all of the false prophets coming and going, wars amongst nations erupting and subsiding, famines and plagues beginning and ending, and even dreadful portents and great signs from heaven showing up in this world of the flesh have a beginning and an end. Jesus’ conclusion? “Do not be terrified! This infers that we, as God’s beloved sons and daughters are designed to witness these comings and goings with eyes of faith, always trusting in the truth of God’s will unfolding, despite the signs of failure and success, fortunes won and fortunes lost, and people coming and going.  The truth of God’s mercy stands unshakeably and in stark contrast to the comings and goings of this world, and as indelibly real as the life, passion, and resurrection of Christ Jesus stands up to eternity. Will I use eyes of fear or of faith to interpret the events of this life? Holy Spirit, guide me to perceive the unfolding of this world with eyes of faith.
 
From my hiding place in the storm I answered you.  (Psalm 81:7)
 
Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.
Corrie Ten Boom
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook &www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Luke 19:11-28

 
There is no doubt that human beings are designed for joy.  When I am joyful, I feel my best – loved, free, empowered, and “light” – all puns intended!  But this capacity for joy can so easily be commandeered by the sirens of the world, the passions of the flesh and the deceits of the devil, leading us down blind alleys trying to get a fix of tinny happiness that only mimics the joy offered by the Holy Spirit of the Trinity. In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus teaches us how true joy is to be found; when we use the gifts woven into our lives by the permission of the Mercy of God to increase the goods of the kingdom of God in this world, by our flesh, beyond the reaches of the devil – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, generosity, gentleness and self control (c.f.  Galatians 6) – then we “enter into” the Joy of the Lord, and become truly joy-full.  Like the servants in the parable, I too have a choice about what to do with who I am, and all that I have. Will I grasp my gifts to myself, in case I lose them – and so let them ‘rot in the ground’?  Will I debate so long about what I have and don’t have, and what I am and am not, and what I want to do, that I lose all opportunity to put my gifts and talents to work to increase the ‘goods’ of God’s Kingdom? Or will I joyfully behold that which I have been given and share all that I am and have with Father God and Christ Jesus, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and so with my inuqatiit (Inuktitut for the other beings I am on earth with) and so enter in the Holy joy that created the beauty of this world and the connections of eternity through the love and truth of God? Holy Spirit of God, let me enter into your joy by investing your gifts for the sake of your Kingdom.    
 
As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness .  (Psalm 17:15)
 
If we wish to make any progress as servants of God, we must begin every day of our life with new eagerness.
St. Charles Borromeo
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook &www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Luke 17:11-19

 
When my three-year old granddaughter sits across the supper table from me, takes a bite of the day’s cooking and says, “Thank you, Nana, for making this delicious dinner,” my heart melts -  and rejoices in this new word just added to her vocabulary! She gets it! The toys and glue sticks spread across the living room floor become mere vestiges of her brilliance, rather than a tedious mess to be cleaned up at end of day. Scissors and flashlights missing from their usual hooks become insignificant, and I immediately sense the bond of mutual love and respect between us.  Surely this is the way Christ Jesus and (Grand!) Father God respond when I take time to ‘turn back’ and voice my thanks and gratitude to the Lord for any small mercy received. Surely their hearts likewise rejoice that I’m finally ‘getting it’ and am learning to use the adult spiritual language that springs from the Holy Spirit of God. And perhaps this is how my small and not so small errors and omissions of sin can be so easily forgiven by our Heavenly Father. Certainly prayers of thanks for God’s loving kindness create a bond of love and respect between me and my God.  Indeed, as Roslind Rinker states, “Gratitude is a heart opener” both for the one speaking it and the one hearing it.  Will I take time today to open my heart to give thanks to the Lord and then witness His heart opening up to me?  Holy Spirit, remind me to give thanks to the Lord.
 
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and his love endures forever.  (Psalm 118:1)
 
Prayer’s function is to set God at the center of your attention, and forget yourself and the impression you are making on others.
Rosalind Rinker, Prayer: How to Have a Conversation with God
 
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook &www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
 
 
 
 
 

 
Wisdom 7:22 – 8:1 & Luke 17:11-19
 
It is a counter-cultural activity to give thanks to God and so to embrace the Wisdom of the Holy Spirit ! It seems that in Jesus’ day only about 10 per cent of the people he healed (based on the one out of 10 lepers!) took the time from their busy self-centred lives, to ‘turn back’ to Jesus, or even notice, the healing that had been the result of their encounter with him.  These days the statistics seem to be closer to .001 percent! No matter how brief, each encounter with the Christ Jesus tunes our beings to his ‘frequency’, and heals our brokenness. But each of us, like the Samaritan leper, needs to take time to reflect on Christ’s impact on our lives in those moments, and to turn back to the Lord with thankfulness and humility  to complete the full circle of healing, started by an encounter with the Lord. It is probable that the other nine lepers continued on with their lives, rejoicing in their reinstatement into society for a time, and then settling into the doldrums and pitfalls of day to day life.  On the other hand,  by taking time to return to Jesus and ground his healing in a one on one, face to face session of thanksgiving, the Samaritan leper took forward into his life, not only the healing of his body and the reinstatement of acceptance into society, but his life-changing encounter with the Healer of souls. Perhaps until the end of his days he proclaimed the Good News of Jesus’ healing and salvation to all who would hear. Will I take time to return to the Lord to receive the blessings of gratitude and the added blessing of being in intimate relationship with Christ Jesus, who is Wisdom (her)self?   Holy Spirit, help me turn back to give thanks to God.  
 
By your appointment the things of earth stand today, for they are your servants.  The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.  (Psalm 119)
 
Only one thing is necessary: that is to do at every moment what is most pleasing to Jesus.  
St. Charles de Foucauld
 
Listen to Healer of our Every Ill  by Marty Haugen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv4CI0wd1Oo
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook &www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca
 
 
 

 
Wisdom 1,1-7

 
It is interesting that “that which holds all things together knows what is said.” Sometimes it seems that words are of no consequence. Digitized words flip through social media and emails at a phenomenal rate each day. Face to face or virtually spoken words, whether recorded or real are sent on their way more and more freely, and seemingly less and less without consideration. Although hard copy books are being published less frequently than before, there has probably never before been as many words in print as there are in this day and age. But the Holy Spirit of God, known as “Wisdom” herself in scriptural literature, iterates that words do matter, and that every word uttered carries eternal weight – because our words express what is in our hearts. Will I be a ‘holy and disciplined spirit’? Will I consciously flee from deceit, and leave foolish thoughts and words behind? Will I shun the approach of unrighteousness into my heart by being careful of what I hear, read and say?  Holy Spirit, help me flee from deceit and leave foolish thoughts behind.  
 
O Lord, you have searched me and known me… you search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. (Psalm 139, 1&3)
 
God sustains every soul and dwells in it substantially, even though it may be that of the greatest sinner in the world.  This union between God and creatures always exists.
St. John of the Cross
 
Check out this  Bible Project episode, “Holiness”, underlining Jesus’ dealings with evil in our lives:
https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/holiness/ 
 
 
 
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
Gospel Mystery of the Day on FaceBook &www.gospelmysteryoftheday.ca