Word to the Wise
Friday, October 26, 2018 - Friday in the 29th Week in Ordinary Time
[Eph 4:1-6 and Luke 12:54-59]FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2018 FRIDAY IN THE TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME [Ephesians 4:1-6 and Luke 12:54-59] I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace; one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. [Ephesians] I could not bring myself to “excerpt” the passage from Ephesians today. It is a wonderful exhortation, and it will continue tomorrow. For today, the important word is “the call.” Ministers are known to speak of “the call” and when they knew they had received it. But the call that Ephesians speaks of is the call of faith and baptism that we all share as Christians. Because so many of us are baptized as infants, the call to faith seems like something that has always been there, as if we were born Christians before baptism! I never fail to be impressed by those who participate in the RCIA programs in parishes, especially those who have never been baptized. Their faith is something very real and powerful, and their stories are inspiring. The baptismal call to faith and a commitment to “live a life worthy” of that call is something we could all mediate on and ask ourselves about. When I baptize a baby, I try to get all those in attendance to do just what Ephesians exhorts - to remember their own call and live a life that will reflect it to the child being baptized. Ephesians will speak of some of the challenges of that call tomorrow. AMEN