Gospel Reflections for November 5 2017
The greatest title you can have
A World Series win is the greatest honor for baseball players. (I wish the Dodgers had it!)
Today’s Gospel is also about titles.
There are many honorable titles you can have, such as doctor, judge, or professor. But they each involve expensive education and training.
The Gospel today gives Jesus the title of Teacher. There is no one else that we follow more. But there is one title that Jesus wants for you, and it is available no matter what your circumstance or age. Jesus hopes you will be …a Learner.
That simply means you will be hungry for wisdom and cultivate an open mind that is eager to gain new information. It also implies humility in that you recognize you do not have all the answers but are willing to listen to wisdom and …learn.
God designed you to feel happy when you learn something new. I see that in students when they suddenly understand a lesson. They smile and happily say, “I got it!” Knowledge brings joy! You were designed by God to figure things out and are happy when you do!
Sometimes learning happens in a flash of insight …but it usually takes time. It is important to stay with a problem and keep trying. Seeking answers is like walking on a winding country road. You cannot see the end in the distance. The road, and the answer, is only revealed as you walk.
Your journey to God is like that winding country road. Wisdom comes only as you walk.
St. Bruno will help you on your journey. Ever Sunday, of course, is your time to connect with Jesus, Your Teacher, at Mass in the scriptures and Eucharist.
I have also written several articles that connect our faith with real life that you might find useful, click here to view the library.
For the rest of the week, you can always listen to our Catholic radio station on AM 930. I am on The Joe Sikorra Show from 6pm to 7pm Monday through Thursday speaking on marriage and family issues.
We also have new free App that you can download to all your devices and check any time of day or night. It is called FORMED.ORG, and it offers amazing video resources for you and your family.
All will help you have the greatest title of all, to be seeker of wisdom and …a LEARNER.
God Bless!
Fr. Dave
Thank you for your wisdom about learning, and thank you for your references to resources for learning!
Yes, check our formed.org.
You wrote: Seeking answers is like walking on a winding country road. You cannot see the end in the distance. The road, and the answer, is only revealed as you walk.
This is my take away. Thank you!
You are welcome!
Thanks for the ‘learning’ Fr. Dave
We started learning the day we were born. We learned to cry for something we wanted.
and we learned to feel safe in our mother’s loving embrace.
In our youth we learned that caring people wanted the best for us, and as we came
of age we learned to discern the good from the bad.
And we continue to learn from Jesus, our greatest teacher, as we walk ans talk with Him
on the road.
on the road.
Yes, well said. I like your explanation of learning through our years.
I like being a learner. There is joy in Learning new things. It makes me very happy to know God is a good listener and that he never tires from hearing the songs rising up from our hearts. The word of God is a lot more powerful at Sunday mass if you ponder the readings ahead of time.
You can have the daily readings sent to your phone from USCCB. Also the reflections from Bishop Baron and word on fire.org.
God Bless you. !!
I cannot think of a better way, as you say, of reading and praying the mass scriptures ahead of time.
Sayimg my morning prayers then reading your Country Roads relection brought a curious obserservation. A fallen away 61 year old opiate addicted man respomds best to our conversations about Christ and the Church when I speak with him not too wizely. I ve named him Charley Brown and he calls me Lucy. When he messes up a day re
ally badly Lucy can text him some ideas about vices like Gluttony and Beatitudinal suggestions to offset the problem.. He will likely respond with ‘What are Beatitudes?” Voila! Like Yogi Berra said “If ypu see a fork im the road, take it.” With Charley s question, Lucy can then take off on Feed the hungry as a substititute for Gluttomy. ..that winding road you speak of Fr Dave. Thank you. My opiate addicted friend now calls me Lucy.
Sayimg my morning prayers then reading your Country Roads relection brought a curious obserservation. A fallen away 61 year old opiate addicted man respomds best to our conversations about Christ and the Church when I speak with him not too wisely. I ve named him Charley Brown and text him accordngl. When he messes up a day really badly
Lucy can text him some ideas about vices like Gluttony and Beatitudinal suggestions to offset the problem.. He will likely respond with ‘What are Beatitudes?” Voila! Like Yogi Berra said “If you see a fork im the road, take it.” With Charley s question, Lucy can then take off on Feed the Hungry as a substititute for Gluttony. ..that winding road you speak of Fr Dave. Thank you. My opiate addicted friend now calls me Lucy. Pray he will go to Mass one of these days. He is on the road to that.
Sounds like a wonderful journey for this man has begun!