Signs of the times

Friday, October 25, 2019 29th Week in Ordinary Time First Reading: Rom 7: 16- 25 Gospel Reading: Lk 12:54-59
Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once: ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when the wind blows from the south, you say: ‘It will be hot’; and so it is. You superficial people! You understand the signs of the earth and the sky, but you don’t understand the present times. And why do you not judge for yourselves what is fit?
When you go with your accuser before the court, try to settle the case on the way, lest he drag you before the judge and the judge deliver you to the jailer, and the jailer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the very last penny.”

D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the  Assimilated Life  Experience)
The Lord was dismayed over the partiality of people in interpreting the signs of the times. Partiality involves selectiveness, and the choice is almost always away from the truth because its primary consideration is self-gain. But the problem of the people of Jesus’ times was more of inconsistency. They were keen at interpreting the signs of earth and sky but couldn’t judge for themselves how to fittingly respond to the call of the present.
We too are called to respond fittingly to the signs of the times. The Vatican II Constitution on the Church in the Modern World mandates that “The Church must continually examine the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the gospel.” In the Gospel about Dives and Lazarus, the rich man pleaded with Abraham to send a sign to his relatives on earth so that they too may not end up in hell. The sign he asked was that someone should rise from the dead. But Abraham pointed out: “If they will not listen either to Moses or the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead” (Lk. 16:31).
This leads us to the importance of listening to the teachings of the Catholic Church that St. Peter once headed in his lifetime. It was to Peter that the power of interpretation was given. In Matthew 18:18 Jesus said to Peter: “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”.
When Abraham pointed out: “If they will not listen either to Moses or the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone should rise from the dead”, he was saying that the basic thing to do is to listen to God’s representatives on earth. It is important to listen to the Church who takes the place of Moses and the prophets. Left to ourselves, we are not capable of judging what is fit. –(Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., JD., DM.