Word to the Wise
Wednesday, November 13, 2024 - Wednesday in the 32th Week in Ordinary Time
[Titus 3:1-7 and Luke 17:11-19]But when the kindness and generous love of God our savior appeared, not because of any righteous deeds we had done but because of his mercy, he saved us through the bath of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he richly poured out on us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life. [Titus]
NOVEMBER 13 ST. FRANCES XAVIER CABRINI
These words seem to repeat or at least echo words from earlier in this same letter: For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and world desires...! Theologians speak of "the Christ event" as the definitive revelation of God to humanity but also in the sense of an event occurring in history with a "before" and an "after." Aristotle is quoted as saying that time is the measure of before and after. The Bible seems to fit into this with Old Testament and New Testament. Although secular interests have discarded the Christian "B.C. and "A.D." designations in favor of "B.C.E" and C.E. ("Before the Common Era and "Common Era,") even these are related to the birth of Jesus.
Unlike us humans, God is not a "prisoner of time." There is no "before" or "after" in eternity. Theologians also speak of God "breaking into time or history" by becoming flesh in Jesus Christ. So, Jesus' "appearance" in history and time is a reminder to us of a far greater reality that transcends the confines of history and time. Something that "happened" more than 2,000 years ago has transcendent meaning for us in the "here and now." The Letter to Titus reminds us of God's purpose in becoming human. And, "the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" as the Prologue to the Gospel According to John puts it. Our Christian Tradition reminds us that God will also break into time again and bring it to an end with the second coming of Christ. In the "meantime" we are challenged "to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, ajd devoutly in this age...." AMEN