Word to the Wise
Monday, January 4, 2010 - St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (first native-born canonized American saint)
[1 John 3:22 - 4:6 and Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25]He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.....[Matthew]
Believe it or not, we are not out of the liturgical season of Christmas/Epiphany yet! It will end next Sunday with the celebration of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord! Although today's gospel scripture is not from the "infancy narrative - mini-gospel" in Matthew, he nevertheless continues in today's passage to sum up in a few very brief words the life and ministry of Jesus and shows how even the place where Jesus chose to live as an adult was foretold in prophecy. If one would want to make a truly productive New Year's resolution, I might suggest that following the ministry of Jesus by reading the scriptures as they unfold his ministry between now and Easter would be a very good one. It will be an intense path that leads to great suffering and ultimate triumph in the resurrection! If we choose to do this, we must read his teaching and take up his challenges as disciples! The path goes from Bethlehem to Capernaum to all of Galilee and ultimately to Jerusalem to Calvary and the tomb and then to all the world. As New Year's resolutions go, it would be hard to find a better one. AMEN