Thursday of the Second Week
Reflection 
Our readings today comprise a biblical “wake-up call”—an ancient one harkening from 2,000 to 3,000 years ago—shouting as loudly and clearly as any in Scripture; in essence, “Behave yourself or you’ll be sorry!”   Recalling lyrics from the musical Godspell:

Turn back, O man
Forswear thy foolish ways…
Yet thou…still will not hear
Thine inner God proclaims

We are chastened to listen to our “inner God’s” proclamations—lest we end up like the rich man crying out from Gehenna to poor man Lazarus in the old spiritual:

Dip your finger in the water,
come and cool my tongue,
‘cause I’m tormented in the flame!

We learn from our own growing up to “make good choices” and that “choices will have consequences.”  Yet we waiver, we each are imperfect in our own ways. 

Today we are reminded that the Way is always before us.  The path to salvation is clearly marked and widely known, not shrouded in mystery or revealed to a few.  Today we acknowledge our frailties as well as our resilience and persistence, reminiscent of a familiar tune from the height of the Great Depression:

Nothing's impossible I have found

For when my chin is on the ground

I pick myself up

Dust myself off

Start all over again

Said simply, we ought to pray daily for the personal insight and strength to do exactly that.

 

Prayer
Lord, thank You for reassuring us that although we do stumble, Your hand is always outstretched to ours, helping us to stand again and to follow You.

Church Hindes, ’69, Member of the Worshipping Community

Scripture
First Reading: Jeremiah 17:5-10
Psalm 1:1-4, 6
Gospel: Luke 16:19-31

Daily Scripture readings can be found online at the USCCB website