Word to the Wise
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 - Tuesday in the 32th Week in Ordinary Time
[Titus 2:1-8, 11-14 and Luke 17:7-10]For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. [Titus]
NOVEMBER 13 ST. FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI
The words of the Letter to Titus continue to ring out. This particular passage is read at Midnight Mass on Christmas Day, but it could be appropriate at any time. The challenge "to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age" is a daily one. The process of conversion is a life-long project. I remember a bumper sticker that said, "Be patient. God is not done with me yet."
I live in a university community, but the ages in this parish run the gamut from child to elderly. Every age group faces the same challenges but from different perspectives. The child tries to work with the present time, the student with the future and the elder with the past. I know this is over-simplifying more than a little bit, but the broad perspective shows the life-long effort to remain faithful to the teachings of Jesus "in this age." The continual development of technology leaves many of us in what Alvin Toffler called (many years ago}, "future shock." It can be a little like trying to take a drink of water from a fire hydrant.
We live in hope and in the assurances of Jesus that fidelity to his teachings is the way to eternity. St. Paul and the other epistle-writers are our cheerleaders. AMEN