Monday October 24, 2022

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DISCOVER TODAY: The Spirit’s presence within us does not wither nor fade during hard times.

Good News Reflection for:

Monday of the 30th Week of Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, bishop
October 24, 2022

Today’s Prayer:

Beloved Jesus, forgive me for the times I let myself be trapped by social structures and forget being merciful. Amen.

Subscribe to Today’s Saint Quote & Prayer:
gnm.org/SaintQuotes/

Today’s Readings:

Ephesians 4:32–5:8
Psalm 1:1-4, 6
Luke 13:10-17
bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/102422.cfm
USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
bible.usccb.org/podcasts/audio/2022-10-24-usccb-daily-mass-readings

Living as true children of God

St. Paul says in today’s first reading that immorality, impurity, greed, obscenity, and lewd talk are all forms of idolatry. Why?

Idolatry means worshipping something other than God. It’s obvious why immoral decisions and greed push Jesus out of his rightful place as Lord of our lives, but how is telling a dirty joke or using foul language an act of idolatry?

Paul’s list of sins is an example of what is not found in God’s nature. We’re supposed to imitate Jesus, but these behaviors replace God with unGodly priorities and preferences. God is supposed to be our Father. His nature – our inheritance – should always be our top priority, so that we remain close to him, open to his love and his miracles.

Today’s responsorial Psalm reminds us how to live as the inheritors of God’s nature. First we make the decision to avoid sin by rejecting the ways of the wicked. That means staying away from the influences of the insolent and rebellious. At the same time, we decide to prefer God’s ways, even if we don’t understand why all of his methods and sacrifices and commandments are good. And because we want to understand, we meditate, ponder and study God’s ways all the time, not half-heartedly and not only when it’s convenient.

As our prayer life improves, we receive refreshing nourishment and the empowerment of gifts from the Holy Spirit. This helps us grow well spiritually, and the Spirit’s presence within us does not wither nor fade during hard times. Our lives produce many good fruits, i.e., we are successful in every circumstance that honors the Father.

But look at what happens when we let immorality of any sort become our priority or preference.

First, we accept obscenity and suggestive talk as if it’s okay and normal. That makes us feel comfortable around the insolent and rebellious, and soon we relax spiritually. Like a slowly heating pot of water cooking a frog that’s enjoying the swim, the environment erodes our resistance and we begin to feel drawn to their ways. This feels “good”, so we succumb to sin and forget to pray, but feeling guilty about it, we find excuses and distractions that keep us from praying, because we prefer to not think about God’s disapproval.

In this condition, we soak up the ways of the world, always thirsty for satisfaction but never fully finding it. This unquenchable thirst becomes a desperate addiction recycling the cravings of the flesh. Rooted in these cravings, we lose touch with the loving presence of God, and his absence reinforces the “need” for the addiction.

The fruit of this is destruction. Our malnourished faith withers and fades during hardships. Disconnected from God, we make more and more mistakes and enter so deeply into darkness that our unhappiness increases, thereby increasing the search to find satisfaction in sin – and we spiral downwards into hell.

No wonder the wrath of God comes upon the disobedient. He loves us so much that he utterly hates what idolatry does to us.

Reflect more on this topic with our WordByte “Make an Examination of Conscience using the 10 Commandments” @ wordbytes.org/spiritual-growth/10commandments/.

© 2022 by Terry A. Modica

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