It is 9th September 2020. We celebrate the memorial of St. Peter Clever, who said, “We must speak to them with our hands before we speak to them with our lips,” meaning our service need to go before our consoling words. He is the patron of the African missions. The readings are from 1 Corinthians 7:25-31, and the Gospel from Luke 6:20-26.
The other shore looks always better. When we are married, we have a tendency admire the celebrate life and vice versa.
But St. Paul invites in the first reading to be faithful to the life we have embarked till the end. Whether it is a celibate or married life, both have enough resources to reach God or to have the residues that make us follow the directives of the devil.
Marriage and celibacy are two different holy paths to reach God. Without chaste living we cannot love God and people around. Paul opines that even in a pressure-filled immoral environment, one needs to be faithful, but it is indeed challenging. Whatever the life we choose to live, we cannot undermine the work of the Lord. Witnessing life through loving and serving the suffering humanity is the goal of both way of life. Our holiness shines in being humane. Though the celibate life looks a direct and committed call, marriage still adds as the indirect response to the needs of the other. Without adequate freedom, we cannot belong to anyone. Wherever freedom is curtailed, the service to the humanity is in question. Undue attachments and possessiveness could destroy the foundation and purpose of both way of life.
The responsorial Psalm prays, “Listen, o daughter, give ear to my words.” (Ps. 45:10).
Luke’s version of the Beatitude is a direct blueprint closer to the Words of Jesus to live a balanced and fruitful spiritual as well as social life. God wants all of us to be self-sufficient than self-focused. The distinct quality displayed in the Beatitudes to belong to the Kingdom of God based on the way we share what we have received from God. The exploitation of God’s resources distils the selfish entering such a privileged presence. Material poverty and the spirit of poverty are most important to feel the need of the other. May the Lord enlighten us to embrace ways and means to be beck and call of those in need. Have a lovely day. God bless you.