Friday, October 25, 2013
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 showed dismay over how selective the people of his times were in interpreting the signs of the times. To interpret the signs of earth and sky is one thing, to respond to the present times is another! The former borders on superstition while the latter involves grounding in reality.
We too fail to judge how to respond fittingly to the signs of the times. Consider for example the raging controversy over the use of contraceptives in controlling population explosion. 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 interpreting for us the population control issue, the Church has traced the problem to the lack of responsibility in the exercise of freedom. One’s exercise of freedom must stop where the freedom of others begin. This is the only way all human beings can equitably enjoy the gift of freedom. Its unbridled exercise necessarily destroys the freedom of others. Thus, sexual freedom must submit to certain restrictions such as the restriction against premarital sex and the moral requirement that every sexual act must be open to the possibility of life (Humanae Vitae).
The Church has spoken but are we listening? 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).
It is important then 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.—Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:dan.delosangeles@gmail.com. Website: www.frdan.org.
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