Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 452
Reading 1
Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!
What profit has man from all the labor
which he toils at under the sun?
One generation passes and another comes,
but the world forever stays.
The sun rises and the sun goes down;
then it presses on to the place where it rises.
Blowing now toward the south, then toward the north,
the wind turns again and again, resuming its rounds.
All rivers go to the sea,
yet never does the sea become full.
To the place where they go,
the rivers keep on going.
All speech is labored;
there is nothing one can say.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing
nor is the ear satisfied with hearing.
What has been, that will be;
what has been done, that will be done.
Nothing is new under the sun.
Even the thing of which we say, “See, this is new!”
has already existed in the ages that preceded us.
There is no remembrance of the men of old;
nor of those to come will there be any remembrance
among those who come after them.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 AND 17BC
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Alleluia
John 14:6
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 9:7-9
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Courage to Change
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying, “John has been raised from the dead”; others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”; still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.” Luke 9:7–8
Herod the tetrarch, also known as Herod Antipas, ruled the Jews of Galilee for some forty-two years. He began his reign in 2 BC and continued to reign until he was exiled by the Roman Emperor in 37 AD. During his reign, he spent much time in Tiberias, one of the main cities on the western edge of the Sea of Galilee. Most of Jesus’ ministry took place within the region of Herod’s domain, all of Galilee, so Herod was very aware of the many stories about Jesus.
Today’s Gospel concludes by saying that Herod kept trying to see Jesus. Of course, Herod, just like anyone living in that region, could have traveled to where Jesus was preaching so as to listen to Him at any time. But he didn’t do that. Instead, he continued to receive reports about Jesus and remained curious about Him, trying to find a way to figure out Who Jesus was.
Try to imagine what would have happened if Herod would have traveled to where Jesus was preaching so as to listen to Him with an open heart. If he would have done that, and truly listened, Herod would have received one of the greatest gifts imaginable. He would have received the gift of faith and conversion and would have begun down the road toward eternal salvation. But Herod was living an immoral life. He was known to be a cruel leader and also an unrepentant adulterer. He loved his power and was quite jealous of it. Herod most likely knew, at least in the back of his mind, that if he were to listen to Jesus, he would have to change. And he most likely didn’t want to change.
This presents us all with a powerful lesson. Each one of us can easily dismiss various communications and invitations from our Lord, because, deep down, we do not want to change. God is speaking to us all day long, every day of our lives. He is constantly offering us His message of the full Gospel. And though you may be open to much of what God says, there are most likely parts of His divine message that you either knowingly or unknowingly do not listen to. The key to being able to hear everything that God wants to speak to you is to be disposed to completely change in any and every way that God wants you to change.
Reflect, today, upon Herod. First, reflect upon his curiosity about Jesus. This is a good quality, in that it’s much better than being indifferent. From there, think also about the fact that Herod never went to Jesus to listen to Him. His first meeting with Jesus was on the night of His arrest, when he interrogated our Lord and made fun of Him. As you consider Herod’s obstinacy, use it as an examination of your own life. Where you see any small reflection of obstinacy, fear of change or a closed heart, seek to remedy that by turning to our Lord telling Him you are open to all He wishes to say and that you are ready and willing to change in any way He calls you to do so. Do not fear the change our Lord wants of you. Embracing that change will land you on the quick and narrow road toward true holiness of life.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
THE MISERY OF MONEY, POWER, AND SEX
“Vanity of vanities!” —Ecclesiastes 1:2
The book of Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon because its author, Qoheleth, is identified as David’s son (Eccl 1:1).
This association makes the message of Ecclesiastes more poignant. Qoheleth, or possibly Solomon, announced that everything is vanity, work and money are useless (Eccl 1:3), “there is nothing man can say” (Eccl 1:8), and all our entertainments are empty (Eccl 1:8).
This is quite a statement for anyone to make, but it’s even more significant coming from the mouth of the wisest, richest man in the world. Most people think that someone with 700 wives and 300 concubines would have enough excitement to make life at least palatable (see 1 Kgs 11:3). Yet the one who had it all admitted he had nothing: vanity.
Is there any hope? Our hope is in Jesus alone. “We lived at the level of the flesh, following every whim and fancy, and so by nature deserved God’s wrath like the rest. But God is rich in mercy; because of His great love for us He brought us to life with Christ” (Eph 2:3-5). “There is no condemnation now for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rm 8:1). “ ‘Life’ means Christ” (Phil 1:21).
Prayer: Father, “teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart” (Ps 90:12).
Promise: “Return, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants!” —Ps 90:13
Praise: Sts. Cosmas and Damian, both physicians, became targets for persecution because they practiced medicine without charging any fees, in order to serve the poor in their midst.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The question that bothered many in the Gospel narrative is: Who is Jesus? Many had raised this question, including his own people in Nazareth, John the Baptist, his own disciples, etc. (cf Lk 4:22; 7:18-20; 8:25). In this passage, Herod Antipas too raises the question, for Jesus had become an enigma to him. According to Herod, however, Jesus cannot be John the Baptist, for Herod himself was responsible for the murder of John the Baptist. Jesus’ identity, however, is revealed by God (cf Lk 1:35; 3:22; 9:35), and is revealed towards the end of the Gospel. The answer is shown by Jesus himself when he dies on the cross in Lk 23:46: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” So, we know that Jesus is the Son of God.
Prayers
My ever-present Lord, You call to me day and night, inviting me to change as I listen to Your holy Word. I thank You for these constant promptings of grace and commit myself to remain open to all that You ask of me. I choose You, my Lord. And as I turn to You, I pray that I will have the courage I need to respond wholeheartedly to Your call. Jesus, I trust in You.
Heavenly Father, form in me the likeness of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and deepen his life within me that I may be like him in word and deed. Increase my eagerness to do your will and help me to grow in the knowledge of your love and truth.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 269: A Twofold Gaze at Mercy and Misery
If you could pick two things to gaze at, what would they be? Ideally, the two greatest things to gaze at are the Mercy of God and your own misery. Most likely, it immediately makes sense that the Mercy of God would be one of the most important things to gaze at, but the wisdom of gazing at your own misery may not be immediately apparent. What we need to understand is that there is danger in seeing only one or the other. If you were to focus in on the Mercy of God without also seeing your misery, then you would not be in a position to invite that Mercy into the parts of your life that need it the most. And if you were to gaze at your misery without also seeing the Mercy of God, you would be led into despair. The Mercy of God is given so that every sin, hurt, confusion, struggle and the like will have a remedy. Our Lord longs to heal us and lift our burdens. Allow His Mercy to meet all that burdens you and His Mercy will achieve its end (See Diary #1345).
Try to take some time to quietly and reflectively gaze at both God’s Mercy and your own inner burdens. As you look at both, try to imagine them meeting within the sanctuary of your soul. Let the Mercy of God fuse with any misery you experience in life and, in that act, you will be allowing God to do what He longs to do.
Lord, please have Mercy on me and heal me. Help me to see the areas of my life that are in grave need of Your Mercy. As I see them, help me to also fix my eyes upon Your Sacred Heart from which Mercy and grace flow. In this gaze, may I discover Your unending compassion and love and so be healed of all that burdens me. Jesus, I trust in You.
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