Jesus gives us the choice to live fully in divineness

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

+ Choose this or that!

Is it really that simple that we have choices.

Both Paul and Jesus would agree with that.

And Paul speaks about choosing, “the world, the flesh, and the devil,” or choosing life, and the Spirit, and the stuff of the kingdom of God.

One is the choice that leads to death; and the other to life.

One takes you to shame; the other to freedom and life.

Paul speaks to his audience, noting their past lives of sin and the new life given to them in Christ.

+ Jesus speaks of the same, and tells his disciples that he has come to preach this and offer this life to all.

But he speaks strongly of the choice all must make and what that choice would do even to families.

It would split them and divide them against one another, because choices would be made in what they would say and what they would do.

They would not be living the same lives.

And Jesus would show through his baptism (his death on the cross), just how total this choice — his choice — was.

And yet he was willing to give all so that we could be given this choice to live fully the divineness he was offering: the choice to truly live!

Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.