Fr. John Eudes Bamberger, OCSO
24th Friday in Ordinary Time 1 Timothy 6:2-12; Luke 8:1-3
From the first chapter of the Bible the importance of wisdom for us humans assumes prominence. The original sin of the first human parents was the result of lack of good judgment, which is the fruit of wisdom. Saint Bernard pointed out that sapientia,(wisdom) is derived from sapidus (tasty), and so refers to a taste for the good. In 1906 Sigmund Feud pointed out that the earliest stage of human experience is based on the quality of infant’s feeding experi9ence The author of Genesis long before has appreciate the intrinsic relation of food and character.
In today’s first reading Saint Paul, writing to Ti9mothy, advises him to emphasize in his preaching that we should be content with basic necessities, living simply, avoiding what is not necessary. Our Cistercian Fathers to0pk to heart his injunction so earnestly that they left Molemes in order to practice a strict simplicity. They did not make it an end but a condition for fuller union with God.
The Gospel text from Saint Luke that we have just heard makes the same point. He underlines the fact that Our Lord and his apostles had so little possessions and resources of their own that they depended on the generosity of some women whom he names. Adding that “they and many other provided for them out of their resources.” As the Church grew and the society in which it lived developed there grew up communities of dedicated persons who came to form more localized dedicated groups. But their purpose remained the same as that of our Lord and his first followers. We strive to be faithful to the spirit and as we are able, to the simplicity Our Lord blessed by his example and that of his first followers. May the celebration of this Eucharist today strengthen us to follow their example by answering the call of his grace.
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