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Morning Prayer Video Link

Scripture: Lectionary 492. November 12. Wisdom 2:23-3:9. Psalm 34:2-3,16-17,18-19. Luke 17:7-10.

Wisdom calls us to be just and holy before the Lord. Today’s passage is often used for Masses of Christian Burial because of its strong message about the immortality of the soul. Its words are consoling for those whom we have lost through death; the words of Wisdom gives us a way of uniting ourselves with those who have gone before us in faith in the resurrection. It is one of my favorite passages because of the hope it gives me us as believer in the afterlife. It belongs to the culture of life not the culture of death. Grace and mercy stream from God’s love for us who are created in God’s image and likeness.

Psalm 34 has verses that are easily associated with wisdom and thus it is a good follow-upfor our first reading from Wisdom. We bless the Lord at all times which is equivalent to living in God’s presence throughout the day as we go about our busy tasks. God hears our prayers for we are striving to be among the just who are those faithful to lady Wisdom—Sophia is always a feminine word and a beautiful name.

Luke’s Gospel is the Gospel of total dedication to the mission of Jesus in this world. The universalism of Luke shines through and calls us to be apostolic missionaries of God’s word given by Jesus and the Evangelists. Luke is especially clear about the mission of dedicated persons bringing Christ to others as Savior and Redeemer. We are called to participate as creative agents of God’s redemptive love for all humankind.

We can never think that we have done enough for the mission of Jesus in the world or for our participation in the kingdom of God around us. We are servants of Jesus who is the Servant of God and our Savior. Paul, a friend of Luke, tells us in his first epistle to the Corinthians : “For if I preach the Gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel.” (I Cor.9:16).

Brother Dan Stupka, S.M. gave me a card that has the following words of Victor Hugo. I thought they fit the dispositions we should have as missionaries apostolic of the Lord:

Have courage for the great sorrows of life, and patience for the small ones.  And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace.  God is awake!  Amen.

Copyright 2013 Fr. Bertrand Buby, S.M.