Reading 1: Galatians 2:1-2, 7-14
Brothers and sisters:R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations,
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
"Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples."
He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test."
TODAY'S GOOD NEWS
There is an interesting connection between St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians today and the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Paul is speaking about when Jesus suddenly spoke to him in a blinding light, "Saul, why are you persecuting me?" This was the beginning of Paul's conversation to Christ and his Church.
In a similar way, St. Francis wrote: "[In the beginning of my conversation] no human person told me what I should do; but the Most High himself revealed to me that I must live the life of the Gospel." Even if we don't actually hear the voice of Jesus, we are called to ponder his words and actions and to model our lives on his teachings.
Fr. Martin Pable, O.F.M., CAP.
LIVING FAITH
Wonderfully Made
"I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works." (Psalm 139:14)
Do you ever stop to think how deeply your body is connected to your soul? Many people are plagued with body issues--illness, struggles, fatigue, discontent. I work with clients who struggle with chronic illness, body dysmorphia, anxiety, depression, and issues with self-confidence and self-worth. I often think how many of these difficulties might be resolved by fully receiving and believing God's truth about our design--that we are expertly, wonderfully made. If we could wrap our heads around the idea that God does not make mistakes-- how much easier things would be for us.
We are works in progress, and if we are open to the transformative love of God, then we are in a state of continual transformation, becoming more and more aligned with the design of our Creator.
Today, let's remember the wonder of our design. Even if there are changes we want to make, let's begin from a place of acceptance, appreciation and love.
Kristin Armstrong
The Special Intentions of Pope Francis:
Father . . .
Throughout October, we pray that we would be a Church open to everyone. We pray for the Church: ever faithful to and courageous in preaching the Gospel, may the Church be a community of solidarity, fraternity, and welcome, always living in an atmosphere of synodality. Amen.
For the week of:
October 2, 2022
That our actions and words reflect our love for God every day.
THE WORD AMONG US
"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things." (Luke 10:41)
Poor martha! She had tried so hard. Unfortunately, this hardworking hostess is best known for getting angry with her sister and missing out on fellowship with Jesus. To add insult to injury, when Martha complained, it seems she got a rebuke instead of sympathy: "Martha, Martha" (Luke 10:41).
We tend to hear Jesus' words to Martha as chastisement or frustration. But it's quite possible that Jesus' tone was not harsh. Jesus loved Martha; he longed for her to spend time with him. He wanted her to experience peace, not strife, and he wished that she could enjoy the closeness that Mary experienced sitting at his feet. So when he repeated her name, Jesus was probably speaking with tenderness and concern.
This wasn't the only time that Jesus spoke this way. In fact, Luke uses similar repetitions to express Jesus' yearning for people to encounter him. Lamenting the Jewish leaders' rejection of him, Jesus cried out, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . how many times I yearned to gather your children together" (Luke 13:34). Later he pours out his heart when foretelling Peter's denial: "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail" (22:31-32). And in Acts, Jesus speaks with the same passion to the future St. Paul: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (9:4).
In all of these situations, Jesus spoke with intensity because his heart was moved with compassion. All of those people were important to him, and he didn't want them to be separated from his love, not even for a moment.
Jesus doesn't want any of his sons and daughters to miss out on his presence, including you. Just as he cried out, "Martha, Martha," he calls you by name today--not once, but twice! Can you hear the love in his voice? He knows that you are busy and burdened and anxious; he knows your temptations and failings. And he wants to set you free. Jesus will never stop calling you. Come, sit at his feet.
"Here I am, Lord. I want to hear your voice today."