Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.
A reflection on the daily readings, for Thursday of the 29th Week in Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
Both Paul and Jesus speak and write with such passion today.
Paul notes the strengthening “power” of the Holy Spirit, the incredible “riches” that dwell within the inner self, the indwelling of Christ rooting, and grounding any and all in love — and noting such depth to speak the hope that the church be, “filled with the fullness of God.”
Paul gave the glory to God, proclaiming that God was able to “accomplish far more than all” we could ask for or imagine.
Jesus, too, announces his personal wishes that he had come to set the earth ablaze not with peace, but rather with division, specifically within households: “three against two and two against three.”
And if that were not clear enough, Jesus spells it out —
“A father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother.”
And even division within and among in-laws.
Jesus refers to this as “his baptism,” which he longed for with anguish.
Yes, both Paul and Jesus speak with such passion in today’s readings! And Psalm 33 attests to the faith statement that, “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord“; and the perfect response to that goodness was simply to give thanks to the Lord on the “harp,” and with the “ten-stringed lyre” to chant his praises! Amen! To give thanks!
[Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash]
