st nicholas written by sr dianne

 

aug 21 2006

Memorial of Saint Pius X, pope
Ez 24:15-23 The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, by a sudden blow I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes, but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears. Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead, bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet, do not cover your beard, and do not eat the customary bread. That evening my wife died, and the next morning I did as I had been commanded. Then the people asked me, “Will you not tell us what all these things that you are doing mean for us?” I therefore spoke to the people that morning, saying to them: Thus the word of the LORD came to me: Say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord GOD: I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the stronghold of your pride,the delight of your eyes, the desire of your soul. The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword. Ezekiel shall be a sign for you: all that he did you shall do when it happens. Thus you shall know that I am the LORD. You shall do as I have done, not covering your beards nor eating the customary bread. Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet. You shall not mourn or weep, but you shall rot away because of your sins and groan one to another.

Deuteronomy 32:18-19, 20, 21
R. (see 18a) You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
You were unmindful of the Rock that begot you.You forgot the God who gave you birth.When the LORD saw this, he was filled with loathingand anger toward his sons and daughters.
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“I will hide my face from them,” he said,“and see what will then become of them.What a fickle race they are,sons with no loyalty in them!”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.
“Since they have provoked me with their ‘no-god’and angered me with their vain idols,I will provoke them with a ‘no-people’;with a foolish nation I will anger them.”
R. You have forgotten God who gave you birth.


Mt 19:16-22 A young man approached Jesus and said,“Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother; and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him,“All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

It amazes me that the young man in the gospel today could do all the good works in his life but be so reluctant to let go of his possessions in order to gain eternal life. It must have moved Jesus to ask the young man to follow him and see that the man went away sad instead. Some choices are by free will to follow the ways of God or turn from God and follow our own desires.

I pray for an heart that is ready and willing to follow Jesus wherever that me lead and whatever I may have to let go of on this earth. I know that my strength and meaning in life comes from Jesus and I put that first in my life. I pray today for the fellowship and love of Christ in all that I say and do with those who i encounter this day.