Thursday, June 11, 2009

Friday June 12, 2009 of the 10th week oin ordinary time

Biblical Readings: 2 Corinthians 4: 7-17 Psalm 116: 10-11, 15-18 Matthew 5: 27-32
Response: "To You Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise"

We don't even usually think in terms of Paul's expressions of his faith.
He had been telling his Church in Corinth of the glory available to us, if we persevere. However, his letter seems to contradict what he is saying.
What glory is there in suffering and deprivation?
While Paul os speaking of the eternal reward to be bestowed on the faithful when the end ckmes, at the moment he is writing, he is being pursued by the Judaisers who would persecute him to death.
We need to absorb the same attitude; join our thinking with his! Our term on earth has been set from the beginning, even befoore we were conceived and is limited. The Glory promised by Jesus is immortality, never ending! We may not see the results now; however, God does not promise and then renege. He will fulfill His edicts both the positive and the negative aspects.
Christ is the example! He suffered, died and was raised! We are heirs to the same future, if we persevere!

The psalm iterates Paul's words and God's promises. It is difficult to see the product of faith when the forces of evil seem to prevail1 If we keep our eyes on the cross and the ultimate resurrection, then we can be assured of the same for our mortal lives.

Christ records His message for all to hear! The specific orders of the commandments are just the tip of the iceberg. If we are to proceed to perfection required for entrance into heaven, even the peccadilloes will have to be purged. Christ uses hyperbole to show the seriousness of sin. If necessary, remove the offending appendage rather than spend eternity in Gehenna! Gehenna was a huge trash dump outside the gates of Jerusalem. The fires used to burn the trash was incessent and a rerminder to mortals of the everlasting fire of Hell.

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