6th Friday in Ordinary Time
Genesis 11: 1-9; Mark 8: 34- 9: 1
Speaking to a gathering of religious superiors, Pope Francis said, “The Gospel must be taken without sedatives.” Walking the Gospel Walk, demands radical commitment from each of us, especially those of us who have dedicated our lives to God by sacred bonds. “We are called to come out of our zones of comfort and security, of all that is worldliness: in the way of life, but also in thinking of new ways for our Institutes (…). We must recognize personally and communally what our worldliness is.” The call to radical commitment demands that we be willing to mount the high places on hind’s feet. At the same time, we are reminded not to depend on our own efforts to build a tower that will enable us to conquer these heights. As members of the Body of Christ, we are to mount the ladder that the Lord lowers to us. The grace of our calling is truly awesome!
In a world inundated with noise and information overload, followers of Christ are called to listen for the gentle, soft voice of the Master who speaks in the universal language of love that echoes in every human heart. There, in the secret of our heart, God call us by name. “Whoever has ears, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name known only to the one who receives it” (Rev. 2:17). Think about it. God, in His love came down to us by means of His Incarnate Word, the Living Bread that comes down from heaven, to seek out and find all who had lost their way.
My brothers and sisters, we are a pilgrim people, taught by the Word and fed by the Bread of Life. As living stones, we are built up into the Temple of His Glory by the outpouring of the Spirit. It is Christ Who builds up His Body, the Church. We need to stop building our own towers and to begin climbing His ladder. Life becomes much more fulfilling, and challenging, when we surrender ourselves to the plans of the master architect and allow Him to use us as He continues to build up His kingdom.
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