Daily Retreat 05/26/08
2008 May 26 Mon: Philip Neri, p M (Eighth Week in Ordinary Time)
1 Pt 1: 3-9/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 5-6. 9 and 10c/ Mk 10: 17-27
From today’s readings: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.... The Lord will remember His covenant for ever.... It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God....”
Cross Continuity
A few weeks ago, the beginning of the epistle of St. James addressed the issue of tribulations encountered in living out one’s Christian faith, hardships and challenges which, St. James insisted, should be considered a source of joy, since they serve to prove the mettle of one’s faith.
Likewise, at the beginning of his first letter, St. Peter takes up the same theme, remarking that , “In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Even a quick review of the Gospels reminds us how often Jesus Himself spoke of the high price of Christian discipleship, that deprivations and denigrations and many other sorts of crosses would be part of the path of true discipleship. And what else should we expect? The life of Jesus, and the lives of His followers St. Peter and St. James and St. Philip Neri and others, so clearly were stigmatized with crosses, but crosses which were willingly and lovingly carried “for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Our own crosses, those “various trials,” the big and small tribulations of our lives, can serve for the same noble end!
1 Pt 1: 3-9/ Ps 110(111): 1-2. 5-6. 9 and 10c/ Mk 10: 17-27
From today’s readings: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who in His great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.... The Lord will remember His covenant for ever.... It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God....”
Cross Continuity
A few weeks ago, the beginning of the epistle of St. James addressed the issue of tribulations encountered in living out one’s Christian faith, hardships and challenges which, St. James insisted, should be considered a source of joy, since they serve to prove the mettle of one’s faith.
Likewise, at the beginning of his first letter, St. Peter takes up the same theme, remarking that , “In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Even a quick review of the Gospels reminds us how often Jesus Himself spoke of the high price of Christian discipleship, that deprivations and denigrations and many other sorts of crosses would be part of the path of true discipleship. And what else should we expect? The life of Jesus, and the lives of His followers St. Peter and St. James and St. Philip Neri and others, so clearly were stigmatized with crosses, but crosses which were willingly and lovingly carried “for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Our own crosses, those “various trials,” the big and small tribulations of our lives, can serve for the same noble end!
posted by FrPitstick | 5/25/2008
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