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Gospel: Luke 12: 45-59
Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Technology is amazing. You can Google almost any question and find out the answer immediately.
For example, can dogs eat bananas?… Why do cats purr?… How many gallons of water are in the Atlantic Ocean?
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But there are other questions – deeper, more existential questions – that Google cannot answer. Questions, which even the people in Jesus’ time should’ve asked, such as:
What’s the meaning of life?… Why am I here?… Who is this Jesus? Is he really who he says he is?… What difference does God make in my life?
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God gives each of us a mind to think, a heart to feel, and a conscience to discern his will for our lives. But sometimes we rise to the surface – and not in a good sense. We can be content with just material things or going through the motions – the busyness – of life.
It’s this type of shallowness which Jesus addresses in today’s Gospel. The crowds think of simple things like weather patterns, but they never wonder what – or Who – is beyond the skies.
“You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky,” he says. “Why do you not know how to interpret the present time?”
Jesus was calling them into discipleship, yet they had no idea.
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I’m sure our minds will be filled with dozens – if not hundreds – of questions today, like, why do cats purr?
But take the time to contemplate the bigger questions, too, including, why does my faith matter to me? And, what does God want for my life?
Then do something about it.
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Image credits: (1) Stormirror.com (2) Gibbard Financial Group (3) Purrs of Wisdom with Ingrid King