September 1, 2009

Tuesday of the 22nd week in ordinary time
Readings; Colossians 1: 1-8 Psalm 52: Luke 4: 38-44
Psalm response: " I trust in the mercy of God for ever"

Paul opens his letter to the Colossians with his confirmation of his insistant prayer for them and all persons in the Spirit. Always thinking of his Church communities, Paul recalls all the wonderful spiritual experiences he had with them as he brought the message of Christ.
Upon their first hearing of Christ's death and resurrection, the people of Colossae were just as confused as were most people of the unbelieveable facts as those in other areas of southern Turkey.
"How can this be?", they must have said. Paul was unable to show them his experience but his zeal in telling them of his own conversion by Christ was so inspired, they honored his words as truth beyond understanding but truth none-the-less!
We can have the same faith! If we contemplate the cross and the suffering He went through, so we could be free, it is almost impossible not to believe. Who would go through such human agony to insure our place with Him? Only God could die and be raised again for our salvation. He took our place; once for all!

In Paul's place, the psalmist extols the confidence needed to recognize God in Christ. Paul assuredly thanks God for all He had done for him; therefore, he could hardly be lax in his fervor for Him.

Once He escaped the plot of His hometown plotters, Jesus, still in Gallilee, visited Peter's home where his mother lay sick with a fever. His disciples thought suredly He would releive her suffering.
Christ, compassionate, scolded the demon of fever and it left her immediately to arise from her sick bed to wait on them.
We don't normally rebuke the devil as the cause of illness. Not because we're convinced it's an old wive's tale but we've been primed by the medical and drug community, it's a virus or another illness caused by germs. The underlying fact is we've dicounted the devil and we do not confidently call upon God to relieve us of the illness and rely on the medical 'experts' and drug supplies to alleviate the symptoms.
If we confidently, in Faith, rely instead on God, He will do for us as He did for Peter's mom!