Category: Uncategorized

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Gospel: Luke 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left.” 
They said to him in reply, “Where, Lord?”
He said to them, “Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Jesus doesn’t parse words. Certainly, in today’s Gospel, he goes straight to the point.

“I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left.”

There are many things in life that can be shared – a movie, a car ride home, a bottle of wine, or a bed.

But one thing that cannot be shared – or borrowed – is one’s relationship with God. 

Regardless of how many friends, blessings, or people we have praying for us, each human being must answer to God for the life they’ve lived. Did they love their neighbor? Did they care for the poor? Did they remember the day of judgment?

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May we make this day count by loving our God and our neighbor as ourselves.

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Image credits: (1) Kevin Carden, Facebook (2) Pikrepo (3) Zenefits

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Gospel: Luke 17: 11-19

As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem,
he traveled through Samaria and Galilee.
As he was entering a village, ten lepers met him.
They stood at a distance from him and raised their voice, saying,
“Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!”
And when he saw them, he said,
“Go show yourselves to the priests.”
As they were going they were cleansed. 
And one of them, realizing he had been healed,
returned, glorifying God in a loud voice;
and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him. 
He was a Samaritan.
Jesus said in reply,
“Ten were cleansed, were they not?
Where are the other nine? 
Has none but this foreigner returned to give thanks to God?” 
Then he said to him, “Stand up and go;
your faith has saved you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“Where are the other nine?”

No other story better illustrates human ingratitude than the Gospel today.

Jesus heals ten lepers at no cost to them, yet only one returns to thank him. The other nine move on with their lives.

All the Lord wanted was a word of thanks.

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How often do we show our gratitude for others?

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Consider the elderly.

For at least the first decade of our lives, we were totally dependent upon our parents and grandparents for food, shelter, clothing, security, and above all, for love. How do we thank them? And how might we support them as they age?

Or our veterans. 

As the saying goes, “All gave some. Some gave all.” On the eve of Veteran’s Day, how might we thank those who willingly sacrificed so much for us?

Or consider any other person in our lives – our spouse, our children, our co-workers, a teacher, a doctor, a benefactor, a friend.

Think of one person who’s made a difference.

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How might we thank them today?

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Image credits: (1) Bible Study Tools (2) Osprey Observer (3) Betterteam

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Gospel: Luke 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.  
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day 
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”

And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

That’s an incredible statement. Mulberry trees are tall and thick with deep roots.

How can something so small uproot something so large?

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Faith derives its power from God.

Through Jesus, we can uproot any “tree” in our lives – anything that is deeply rooted and bothersome – not by our own strength, but by his.

What are the “trees” in my life? What feels difficult to overcome?

It may be a grudge that’s captured our heart; a deeply rooted addiction; a thought or feeling that doesn’t go away.

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By the power of God, that tree can be uprooted and cast into the sea. 

But first we must believe.

So, we cry out with the Apostles, “Lord, increase our faith.”

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Image credits: (1) COP Orthodox, Pinterest (2) Charisma Magazine (3) Van Gogh