24 July 2016
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our Lord is holy, and unites us to himself and to one another through his holiness. He distinguishes between good and evil and wants to unite us in his goodness. Abraham believes this, and it is such faith that leads him to beg the Lord to not regard the innocent the same as the wicked by punishing both in punishing Sodom and Gomorrah. (Gen 18:20 ff) Jesus promises us that our Father exceeds all others in His desire to give us the gift of His Spirit. (Lk 11:13)
This week we pray for the grace to discern between the things we will use only in this life and those things which we hope to have forever in heaven. Let us strive for this grace in the face of whatever may come. Above all may we not be discouraged by our weakness in failing to discern between goods, or even our own sins, because St. Paul assures us that our Lord Jesus has obtained for us reconciliation with the Father. (Col 2:14)