Faith Daily | 21 October 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p593

Almighty God,

your Son has opened for us

a new and living way into your presence:

give us pure hearts and steadfast wills

to worship you in spirit and truth;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Luke 12: 54-59

54 He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, “It is going to rain”; and so it happens. 55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. 56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

57 ‘And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case,* or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. 59I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.’

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Cathy Grant

We have seen from the previous readings that Jesus is now aware of what is happening, and that that the journey to Golgotha, and the cross, has begun. There is no turning back for him, until this baptism of fire has been completed.

And here Jesus shows his anger and frustration with those people who cannot see what is happening, who do not realise the crisis they are in. If they knew, they would make preparations to avoid disaster.

As we, from the vantage point of 20 centuries, read about the marvels Jesus worked on earth, we can easily wonder why those around him could not see what was happening. Jesus tells us why: “You hypocrites!” They simply did not want to see.

This leads me to reflect - was there any time today when I closed my eyes and ears and heart to Jesus? How easy it is to pass responsibility to someone else and to refuse to speak or take action when I am well capable of making the call.

In the second part of the reading, Jesus is asking us to put things right while there is still time. We do not know the hour or day when he will return. What do I need to put right in my life?

Jesus is calling us to discernment and action in the world we live in now. I ponder - What are the signs of our times? How can we understand them? Where is God in what is going on around us? How are we called to respond as followers of Jesus? What would he do if he were living now?

FINAL PRAYER Prayer of Richard of Chichester ( modernised version)

Thanks be to you, my Lord Jesus for all you have given me,

For all the pains and insults you have borne for me.

O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother, of you three things I pray:

To see you more clearly,

love you more dearly,

follow you more nearly,

day by day.

Amen.