Daily Retreat 09/09/09
2009 Sep 9 Wed:Peter Claver, p, r, ms M
Col 3: 1-11/ Ps 144(145): 2-3. 10-11. 12-13ab/ Lk 6: 20-26
From today’s readings: “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry...anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.... The Lord is compassionate toward all His works.... Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours..... ”
Seek what is above!
The first verses of the first reading are my favorite lines of this entire epistle, and the most familiar (they are proclaimed as the second reading on Easter Sunday):
If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth!
One of the most important things about our faith is the higher viewpoint it gives us. Christ wants us to look at life from His vantage of eternity, not temporality. So St. Paul exhorts us to raise our sights to Heaven and all that is heavenly... (cf. Phil. 4:8-9).
This is not to say, however, that we become ungrounded in reality – only that we become aware of greater reality. This higher viewpoint, however, is impossible for those who are blinded by sin. Paul thus lists a number of vices which we must “put away” and even “put to death.” As we read Paul’s list of sinful attitudes and deeds, the temptation is to see ourselves in a good light (after all, we’re not guilty of all or most of those evils!), but Paul insists that we make an honest and complete examination of conscience, and ask the Lord to help us purge ourselves thoroughly of ALL immorality.
Col 3: 1-11/ Ps 144(145): 2-3. 10-11. 12-13ab/ Lk 6: 20-26
From today’s readings: “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry...anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.... The Lord is compassionate toward all His works.... Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours..... ”
Seek what is above!
The first verses of the first reading are my favorite lines of this entire epistle, and the most familiar (they are proclaimed as the second reading on Easter Sunday):
If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Think of what is above, not of what is on earth!
One of the most important things about our faith is the higher viewpoint it gives us. Christ wants us to look at life from His vantage of eternity, not temporality. So St. Paul exhorts us to raise our sights to Heaven and all that is heavenly... (cf. Phil. 4:8-9).
This is not to say, however, that we become ungrounded in reality – only that we become aware of greater reality. This higher viewpoint, however, is impossible for those who are blinded by sin. Paul thus lists a number of vices which we must “put away” and even “put to death.” As we read Paul’s list of sinful attitudes and deeds, the temptation is to see ourselves in a good light (after all, we’re not guilty of all or most of those evils!), but Paul insists that we make an honest and complete examination of conscience, and ask the Lord to help us purge ourselves thoroughly of ALL immorality.
posted by FrPitstick | 9/05/2009
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