Opposum Marie taken 2001 Crystal River

 

sept 30 2006

Memorial of Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church

Eccl 11:9—12:8 Rejoice, O young man, while you are young and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart, the vision of your eyes;Yet understand that as regards all thisGod will bring you to judgment. Ward off grief from your heartand put away trouble from your presence, though the dawn of youth is fleeting. Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come And the years approach of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them; Before the sun is darkened, and the light, and the moon, and the stars,while the clouds return after the rain;When the guardians of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, And the grinders are idle because they are few, and they who look through the windows grow blind; When the doors to the street are shut, and the sound of the mill is low; When one waits for the chirp of a bird, but all the daughters of song are suppressed; And one fears heights, and perils in the street; When the almond tree blooms, and the locust grows sluggish and the caper berry is without effect, Because man goes to his lasting home, and mourners go about the streets;Before the silver cord is snapped and the golden bowl is broken, And the pitcher is shattered at the spring, and the broken pulley falls into the well, And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, all things are vanity!

Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,saying, “Return, O children of men.”For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past,or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;the next morning they are like the changing grass,Which at dawn springs up anew,but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,that we may gain wisdom of heart.Return, O LORD! How long?Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours;prosper the work of our hands for us!Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Jas 3:16—4:3
Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist,
there is disorder and every foul practice.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,
then peaceable, gentle, compliant,
full of mercy and good fruits,
without inconstancy or insincerity.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace
for those who cultivate peace.
Where do the wars
and where do the conflicts among you come from?
Is it not from your passions
that make war within your members?
You covet but do not possess.
You kill and envy but you cannot obtain;
you fight and wage war.
You do not possess because you do not ask.
You ask but do not receive,
because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Lk 9:43b-45While they were all amazed at his every deed, Jesus said to his disciples,“Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

I love to ask questions when I do not understand sayings but still have the human impulse at times of being afraid to ask certain persons when they say something I do not understand. I think there are many meaningful messages that are lost because of not being pursued when they are not understood. Jesus has even started what he said by saying pay attention to what I am telling you.

In this Gospel passage it is Jesus the teacher and the disciples fail to use his full knowledge and gifts to pursue the information that he has foretold of the crucifixion. Sometimes I think when I do not pursue questioning further it may be that I am not sure how to handle the information that might come forth. I like the old saying that God does not give you more than you can handle. I also believe that I am not carrying any burden alone but that God is always with me.

The first reading today seems to convey the vanity and temporality of life on earth. It is all passing, the glory of God is all that is lasting.

This morning I pray for the strength and wisdom from God to have all that I do today serve the Lord. I pray for an open and humble heart and a mind ready to always question what I do not understand.