Daily Readings Reflection for 10/14/09

Reflection on the Daily Readings for 10/14/09 by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings


Scripture: Lectionary # 469. Romans 2:1-11. Psalm 62:2-3.6-7.9. Luke
11:42-46.

Woes are difficult to hear not only for those who heard them from Jesus
during his time with us on earth, but also for us as we listen to them from
today's reading from Luke.  It is rather striking that Luke who loves to
bring us joy and peace is the Evangelist who tells us how Jesus gives us
the woes. They are meant not only for the scribes of his time and the
Pharisees, but for us who are his followers as believing Christians. We
realize that Luke is the Evangelist of the four beatitudes which are there
to offset and checkmate and even stalemate these woes.  We need to look at
the beatitudes on the plain; they are four in number. This helps us to
understand why Jesus may be giving us some woes--fourfold in number today.
Contrasts are important and they help us to learn not only intellectually
but also ethically and spiritually.  Moreover, if we are living out the
beatitudes then we will not let the woes bother us when they are wafted
over our heads and slip into our ears. We will be able to treat them as
distractions in our positive prayer moments that we are having with Jesus.
We know that Luke's overall portrayal of Jesus is more that of the
beatitudes and peace and joy than a series of woes coming from a moral
teacher.  Luke's Gospel is one of joy, comfort, and universal peace among
us.  Think of the message given by the angels to the shepherds that we hear
at Christmas.

Again, like yesterday's lesson from Romans, today's message from Luke is
one of God-like wisdom.  It helps us to be transparent and wholesome
persons. God's love and wisdom are clearly given to us each day in the
Scriptures. We can become better persons who have a positive and hopeful
look on life rather than being part of the growing number of prohets of
doom.

Dante in his trilogy called the Divine Comedy has chosen the Gospel of Luke
for his great and magnificent work.  He loves the Jesus who is kind,
compassionate and outgoing to find the lost ones. As disciples of Jesus we
can learn much from his presentation of Jesus but also of his holy mother
Mary who is a Beatitude in action.  We can learn much about being a
disciple of Jesus by following her in his great two-fold work of Gospel and
Acts.  As Augustine was told by an angel, Tolle! Lege!  Take and Read!
Amen.