Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reflection 2019
Author: Alicia Cordoba Tait
October 27, 2019
God is love. Jesus is God. Jesus is love.
Be vigilant to be good and to do good. This world may not always recognize the importance of that good but do not underestimate what God sees, knows, and does for and about those who love Him and one another, who do good for Him and for one another, who are honest, and who serve. You are never alone.
In the Gospels Jesus reiterates the sentiments of Sirach. The Sermon on the Mount, through the Beatitudes He guides us to lead as servants, to care for those who suffer in mind, in body, in heart and in spirit. With dignity for the well-being of others, we can help those who cannot help themselves and need someone to be there, as God is there for us, listening attentively to our needs, sorrows and wants.
As I contemplate today’s passages, I hear the melody and words in my mind’s eye of Fr. John Foley, SJ’s, “The Lord hears the cry of the poor, blessed be the Lord….” Often in Mass we sing these texts but often we do not truly hear them. We fail to fully listen and respond. These words speak to the depths of our being in a way that can confront evil and distress. The crushed and brokenhearted spirits, and those in complete despair, can find comfort in these words. God is always listening with care and pure love. If we remember how He gave his only Son Jesus for our salvation, we must be worthy of that love, seeking hope and refuge in it.
His Mercy is endless. But we must be careful not to be self-righteous but always maintain humility and honesty “in our thoughts, in our words, in what we have done and in what we have failed to do.” The power of prayer and the act of prayer itself is a grace. Giving of ourselves, our gifts, and our surplus to serve is good. When we “do” for personal fulfillment over the need to serve others we lack understanding of the presence of the God in our lives. God is pure love and through prayer He can give us all we need to heal our spirit through His infinite love. We must also remember His Mother. She is perfection in praise to the Father. We can look to her as a model of a life of prayer in thanksgiving, in sorrow, and in love.