The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, December 30, 2000
The Sixth Day Within the Octave of Christmas
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 John 2:12-17
Psalm 96:7-10
Luke 2:36-40
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
"Have no love for the things of this world." (see: 1 John 2:15)
Isn't it interesting that St. John writes in today's First Reading
about our weakness: our love of the world and all its allurements? In
retrospect, it doesn't seem as if the people of his time could be so
taken up with the allurements of their age when compared to the
mind-blowing array of material things that present their "charm" to
us today -- practically to the point of oblivion, of shutting out
God.
While a "take it or leave it" attitude may be okay for one's
association with material things, it would be much better for us to
regularly assess our attitude about the possession and desire of
material things. Take for example the myriad number of electronic
tools and toys. At first we're pleased and tickled by what they can
do; we may even find them useful. As their novelty wears off, and our
dependence on them sets in, we may suddenly discover that we've
become attached to them, both in work and entertainment.
God was gracious and kind enough to give the human race the ability
to devise and create clever, intricate things. We should find that
instead of letting them become a burden to us, we should receive them
as God's gifts, neither to be possessed nor to be abused, but for the
advancement of the kingdom of God.
Let us always treat the things of this world as if we were not of
this world ourselves. Let us always give praise to God for his
gracious blessings, and most of all for his great gift of releasing
us from the bonds of sin, for His great gift of eternal life. Amen!
- Joachim, ocds
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