Fundamental Situation of Our Life
21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”Sal. 34
These are irrefutable truths that no one can escape and that, unfortunately, many prefer to ignore and not even think about:
- We are just passing through this world.
- We can die and leave this body and this world at any moment.
- We are like pilgrims in the desert, on our way to salvation or condemnation, in the words of God Himself made man.
- Jesus came to show us the path of truth that leads to Life.
- Jesus claimed to be the light, so that we do not walk in darkness (John 8:12)
- The world has preferred to remove God from their lives and from public spaces, choosing darkness, and many allow themselves to be deceived and do not open themselves to God or seek Him, pursuing their own interests and refusing any God other than themselves.
- Many knew Him theoretically but did not give Him His rightful place in their lives, for in reality, they did not believe in Him with all their heart and allowed themselves to be led by their rebellious and self-centered egos, like other atheists.
- The days pass in this desert full of imperfection and pain as a consequence of sin, and many continue in their sins and idolatries, without seeking God, distracted and entertained by all the occupations of this world.
- What will all this have been worth at the end of our days? As reflected in the book of Ecclesiastes 6, everything is vanity and meaningless if there is no eternal life. Without eternal Salvation, what good will everything that happens in this world be? It would be like walking towards nowhere, whether in wealth or poverty if everything ends in death; as the existentialists said, a useless passion.
Many live an empty life, perhaps just surviving, chasing their desires, in their struggle for food, and satisfying their instincts; amidst struggles and joys, but only thinking about the here and now, focused on all that is fleeting in this world, without listening to all the teachings that God came to give us in Christ, so that we may have life in abundance, that is, life in the soul, spiritual and eternal. There is no greater purpose for our life than to live in the way of Christ that leads to Life. Therefore, the first task is to listen to Him, through the preaching of the Church, so that we may love and follow Him, to reach His eternal Kingdom. To whom shall we go, Lord? ONLY YOU HAVE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE. Far be it from us to serve other gods…
St. Monica
This week we celebrate two saints, a mother and son: St. Monica and St. Augustine. As a young Christian woman, St. Monica was married to a pagan. Early in their marriage, he was bitter and critical. After nearly 20 years, Monica’s holy example led to his conversion to Christianity. In the meantime, Augustine was a teenager beginning to live a wild life of self-indulgent excess. This lifestyle would continue into his adulthood. Like with her husband, Monica prayed and fasted for the conversion of her son. Augustine met another future saint, the bishop Ambrose of Milan, who greatly influenced his perspective on life. Augustine was baptized a Christian! Augustine later became a bishop and one of the most influential thinkers in Christian history. How’s that for the power of patience and intercessory prayer?
Weekly Readings
Sunday: Jos 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b/Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23 (9a)/ Eph 5:21-32 or 5:2a, 25-32/Jn 6:60-69
Monday: 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12/Ps 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 4-5/Mt 23:13-22
Tuesday: 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17/Ps 96:10, 11-12, 13/Mt 23:23-26
Wednesday: 2 Thes 3:6-10, 16-18/Ps 128:1-2, 4-5/Mt 23:27-32
Thursday: 1 Cor 1:1-9/Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7/Mk 6:17-29
Friday: 1 Cor 1:17-25/Ps 33:1-2, 4-5, 10-11/Mt 25:1-13
Saturday: 1 Cor 1:26-31/Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21/Mt 25:14-30
Next Sunday: Dt 4:1-2, 6-8/Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5 1a/Jas 2:1-5/Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27/Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
Observances for the Week
Sunday: 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tuesday: St. Monica
Wednesday: St. Augustine, Bishop and Doctor of the Church
Thursday: The Passion of St. John the Baptist
Next Sunday: 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
