Friday 27 October 2023

Today is Friday 27 October, in the 27th week of Ordinary time.

The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing: ‘God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.’

As I enter into prayer now, can I put aside any pride I may have in my own wisdom and my own strength? Can I bring myself before God who loves me and has chosen me, with all my foolishness and all my weakness?

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Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke.

Luke 12:54-59

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. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat”; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

‘And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Thus, 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. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.’

“Red sky at night, shepherds delight.” We still use sayings like these to help us interpret the world around us. Why is it, do you think, that 2,000 years after Jesus spoke these words, proverbs remain so popular?

“Judge for yourselves what is right” says Jesus. Can you recall a time when that was how you approached a complex issue? What happened, and what was the outcome?

More fundamentally, this reading invites us to interpret the whole of the times that we live in in the light of the gospel. Listen to the passage again. When you look at the world today, what is there in it that most catches your attention?

Jesus doesn’t pretend that it is easy to interpret the world in this way. Speak to him in these final moments of prayer about how you respond to the challenge that it poses.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.