Greetings on this the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr
Readings: Rom 1:16-25; Ps 19:2-3, 4-5; Lk 11:37-41
Notes: It has been a difficult few weeks. All of us should recalibrate the essential truth and our part in degrading the truth with vanity. In today’s gospel portion, Jesus lays out in plain language how upside down our reasoning has become.
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
The prescribed washing of the dish and cup has become more important than cleansing the heart of plunder and evil. But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.
Jesus describes the prescription for a heart filled with plunder and evil… give alms.
Taken in a shallow context it may sound like a payoff.
It is not. Alms in Hebrew means to produce justice or righteousness. Reorienting oneself to being just and establishing right relation with others is a path to being clean.
It is the poor who are most often victims of our plunder and evil.
I am not ashamed of the gospel:
- It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek.
- For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”
There is no substitute for the gospel:
- Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made.
The alternatives are useless vanity:
- The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
- Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened.
- While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.
Reflection
Ignatius’ great concern was for the unity and order of the Church. Even greater was his willingness to suffer martyrdom rather than deny Christ. He did not draw attention to his own suffering, but to the love of God which strengthened him. He knew the price of commitment and would not deny Christ, even to save his own life.
Source: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-ignatius-of-antioch/
First Reading
Brothers and sisters: I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek. For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”
Responsorial
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Gospel Acclamation
The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
Gospel
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry