Sunday, August 15, 2004

1:20 am

The Catholic Calendar for Monday, August 16, 2004
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Stephen of Hungary

Scripture from Today's Liturgy of the Word:
Ezekiel 1:2-5,17 24-28
Deuteronomy 32:18-21
Matthew 19:16-22

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

When I was younger I used to hear all the time about "lukewarm" Christians. I don't know where this term came from. For all I know it may have had Evangelical Protestant beginnings as half of my family was Catholic and the other Protestant. What I do remember, however, is that I was always taught that being a lukewarm Christian was worse than not being a Christian at all.

It was not until many years later during my formation as a Franciscan that I really learned to appreciate this old term. I saw in Saint Francis, a true "on fire" Christian. There was no lukewarmness in Francis as his Christianity was all or nothing.

Francis undoubtedly got his all or nothing attitude through the scripture we hear in today's gospel. To be a true follower we are not only to follow the commandments of our Lord, but lay down everything for Him, sometimes even our lives.

Jesus, our Lord, wants us to trust in Him completely and not in our own wisdom or worldly riches. Not all of us can do this as is evident in the case of the sad, rich man in today's gospel. But for those who choose this path we have a Savior to guide us, help us and provide for us: not just on earth, but through all eternity.

- Don Claunch, SFO
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