Fri (Oct 23) Mass readings (I do evil i don't want to do / "You hypocrites".. interpreting the present time / Purgatory)

[distracted]

October 23, 2009

Reading 1
Rom 7:18-25a

Brothers and Sisters:
I know that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh.
The willing is ready at hand, but doing the good is not.
For I do not do the good I want,
but I do the evil I do not want.
Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it,
but sin that dwells in me.
So, then, I discover the principle
that when I want to do right, evil is at hand.
For I take delight in the law of God, in my inner self,
but I see in my members another principle
at war with the law of my mind,
taking me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Miserable one that I am!
Who will deliver me from this mortal body?
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:66, 68, 76, 77, 93, 94

R. (68b) Lord, teach me your statutes.
Teach me wisdom and knowledge,
for in your commands I trust.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
You are good and bountiful;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Never will I forget your precepts,
for through them you give me life.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Gospel
Lk 12:54-59

Jesus said to the crowds,
“When you see a cloud rising in the west
you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;
and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south
you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is.
You hypocrites!
You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky;
why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge,
and the judge hand you over to the constable,
and the constable throw you into prison.
I say to you, you will not be released
until you have paid the last penny.”
i can certainly relate to that first passage about how i do the evil i do not want to do and can’t seem to do the good that i should do. It’s interestin tht he says it is not him but sin that does this… I am SO thankful for the love of Christ that does not throw the baby out with the bathwater (my soul) because i cannot always do the right thing… or do it very well… certainly not do it perfectly

All the scriptures that mention not being released until you have paid the last penny i believe are references to Purgatory or at leas most of them. I think in this last psg we are told to accept our situation in life, don’t fight people too much when they do evil against us… agree with them as much as possible… (etc) but then maybe it is about avoiding trouble with the soul… hmm… i am thinking (finally )… not sure i can figure out this psg exactly… wonder what Church officals say about it… :coffeeread:*

 

[cheeto1]

“Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?
If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate,
**make an effort to settle the matter on the way;
**-- This line reminds me of the time a man came to Jesus, asking Him to make his
brother give him his share of their inheritance. Then Jesus said, “who made me
your judge? Guard against greed.” He was saying that what’s more important
than getting your fair share, is guarding against greed, or that feeling that you
want to “get all that’s coming to you”, and more, if possible. If we are supposed
to let the church decide on these matters, instead of a secular court though, then
why doesn’t the church do that for us? The church doesn’t have any courts, and
I bet if we went to the priest to try and “get our fair share”, then he would say just
what Jesus did: “friend, who made me your judge? Guard against greed.”

You know I’ve always wondered how it is possible for a person to pay the last penny
they owe if they are in prison. They can’t work. If they don’t have the money now,
how will they get it in prison? So in your reference to purgatory, this seems to remind
us to pray for those who are there, and try to make friends while here, that will be
willing to pray for us, should our destiny be purgatory.

 

[distracted]

“You know I’ve always wondered how it is possible for a person to pay the last penny
they owe if they are in prison. They can’t work. If they don’t have the money now,
how will they get it in prison? So in your reference to purgatory, this seems to remind
us to pray for those who are there, and try to make friends while here, that will be
willing to pray for us, should our destiny be purgatory.

maybe it just means to show how difficult it is getting out of Purgatory?? the saints say the avg stay there is 40 yrs… some longer, ofcourse…some shorter. i don’t know. but generally a person still owns his property when he is jailed… and has relatives who can do things for him or whatever…

i am not sure that’s the important part of what the parable is trying to say but it is interesting to think about this kind of thing. Maybe analogies aren’t always supposed to be absolutely… uh literal or wahtever… or exact… ? but it seems that JEsus WOULD use the best anlalogy possible so maybe you are right to notice this??

all i know is that there are a lot of things we won’t know about until the Big Day…