Love and Thanksgiving

Readings for Monday October 27, 2008

First Reading: Ephesians 4:32 - 5:8
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 1
Gospel: Luke 13:10-17


How do you respond to misfortunes and adversity? With resentment? With self pity? With apathy? We all respond many different ways, but how many of us respond with thanksgiving? How many of us respond with love? I can tell you that the last several weeks have been a combination of joyous celebration and very trying times. I realized from the reading today that I need to not respond with anger, jealously, self-pity, or resentment ... I should be responding with love, thanksgiving, and humiliation. It is interesting how we as Christians are called to so much more. The ways that we should respond to situations and others are the ways that are often the most difficult for us. Jesus shows us in today's gospel how we should respond to others with love and compassion.

For today, let us reflect on the following passage from Saint Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

"Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God."

Father above, we thank you for the gift of this day and for the gift of our lives. Lord, increase our faith so that no matter what you bring us we can always respond with love and thanksgiving. Lord we pray for all of us on our journey to you, may we all keep focused and continue to grow deeper in love with you. We ask this all through Christ our Lord. Amen.