Thursday 7 September
Thursday of week 22 in Ordinary Time First reading - Colossians 1:9-14. “what we ask God is that through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding you should reach the fullest knowledge of his will”. Are we asking this for others? Many times, we ask lot of other things for others. The intentions for others are often material things. But here we see St. Paul is praying for the Colossians that they through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding should reach the fullest knowledge of the will of God. He also explains why he pray for this intention. It is because the Colossians through the fullest knowledge of the will of God can lead the kind of life which the Lord expects of them and that they have the to bear anything joyfully. St. Paul is asking this because what God has done for us. “He has taken us out of the power of darkness and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins”. We gain our freedom and the forgiveness of our sins. What else we need. Let’s reflect: Are we praying for others that they reach the fullest know of the will of God through perfect wisdom and spiritual understanding or that they have material things?
Wednesday 6 September
Wednesday of week 22 in Ordinary Time First reading - Colossians 1:1-8 In the words of St. Paul we can find out the basic characteristics of our relationship with others who are far away from us or with those who are close to us. He says, “We have never failed to remember you in our prayers and to give thanks for you to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever since we heard about your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you show towards all the saints because of the hope which is stored up for you in heaven”. That means, never fail to remember others in our prayers, each day and every day. This is important. Then to give thanks for others to God for their faith, for the good things in others. Finally, to remember the love others have shown towards us and all others because of the hope stored up in heaven and not for other reasons. Let’s reflect: Am I remembering enough others in our prayers, thanking God for their faith and love?
Tuesday 5 September
Tuesday of week 22 in Ordinary Time First reading - 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6,9-11 “So, give encouragement to each other, and keep strengthening one another, as you do already”. The Apostle is preparing the community to associate the faith and future. The future as of the Day of the Lord. There are lots of uncertainties around the Day of the Lord, especially about the time and how it will be. These uncertainties are compared to darkness. We can be in darkness regarding this. But St. Paul is admonishing us that we must not be afraid of darkness. Because, “but it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober”. This light is kindled and flamed by our mutual encouragement. Let’s reflect: Am I encouraging others enough so that there is always light in our life?
Monday 4 September
Monday of week 22 in Ordinary Time First reading - 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have died, to make sure that you do not grieve about them, like the other people who have no hope”. Faith determines all aspects of our life which includes death. The way we see the death is very important from the point of view of faith. With faith we can see the death as the entry into the eternal life. Without faith we see the death as the end and darkness. With faith we see the death as the reality which Jesus transformed in Him with resurrection. In Jesus, all those who die, rise into eternal life. Only with faith we can see that. Without faith we see only the absence of those who die. With faith we see the union of those who die with Jesus Risen. This gives the hope and light. Let’s reflect: Do I see in death, the unity with Jesus Risen?