Word Today, Oct. 12, 2004 (Tuesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Gal 5:1-6/ Lk 11:37-

Christ reproved the Pharisees in these words: "Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but within you are full of robbery and wickedness. Foolish ones!" Christian morality gives importance not only to the external observances but, above all, to the internal dispositions and inner attitudes.

This gospel can be an occasion for us to examine our own inner attitudes and dispositions. It is not enough to do what is right. We must do it for the right intention. That intention, in the age-old Christian tradition, is the glory of God and the sincere service to our fellowmen.

Word Today, Oct. 13, 2004 (Wednesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Gal 5:18-25/ Lk 11:42-46

On All Saints' Day, many of us visit the cemeteries and "beautify" the graves of our loved ones. Hence we can understand better the strength of Jesus' words against the Pharisees. Because of their hypocrisy, the Pharisees were compared to "unmarked tombs that men walk on without knowing it," or, in the version of St. Matthew, they are like "white-washed sepulchres which outwardly appear beautiful to men but within are full of dead men's bones and filthiness."

Hypocrisy is such an ugly defect. And the problem with it is that hypocrisy is very hard to remedy. The hypocrite refuses to admit his defect to other men. He may even fool himself. Thus he forfeits the possibility of correction from himself or from others. Instead, he becomes stubborn and self-complacent.

Word Today, Oct. 14, 2004 (Thursday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Eph 1:1-10/ Lk 11:47-54

"Woe to you lawyers! Because you have taken away the key of knowledge; you have not entered yourselves and those who were entering you have hindered." Obviously Jesus is not condemning the legal profession. He was rather denouncing those who professed to be assiduous followers of the Mosaic Law during his time, for their hypocrisy. They taught the law, but did not practice it themselves.

The Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, all about the role of the laity in the Church and in the world, speaks about the need for lay persons to have a "unity of life." This means that they must not have a double standard in their behavior. They must be consistent with their life as a Christian and their life in the world - as a professional, a politician, a housewife or any other situation in the world. Unity of life is necessary if the leaven of Christianity is to influence temporal structures.

Word Today, Oct. 15, 2004 (Saint Teresa of Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church)

Readings: Eph 1:11-14/ Lk 12:1-7

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And yet not one of them is forgotten by God…. Therefore do not be afraid, you are of more value than many sparrows."

These words of Jesus are an invitation to all of us to trust in divine providence. Everything, even the smallest event, is under the complete control of God. Therefore, if we are trying to do God's will, we should not fear anything. God is a loving father who takes care of all our needs.

Word Today, Oct. 16, 2004 (Saturday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time)

Readings: Eph 1:15-23/ Lk 12:8-12

"He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven." This phrase found in today's gospel has puzzled many people. In another passage Jesus speaks of the unforgivable "sin against the Holy Spirit."

These words should not lead anyone to discouragement. In ordinary life, we can say that for practical purposes all sins can be forgiven. God wants to forgive our sins - that is why he redeemed us. We should not be afraid to go to confession thinking that we have unforgivable sins. Some authors say that the sin against the Holy Spirit, which is unforgivable, could be the sin of final impenitence (how can one be forgiven if he/she is obstinate to the very end?); or the sin of attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the devil. In the latter case, it would be unforgivable because we go against the very source of the grace of repentance and conversion. But in no case should we fall into despair due to our personal miseries.

Word Today, Oct. 17, 2004 (TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME)

Readings: Ex 17:8-13/ 2 Tm 3:14--4:2/ Lk 18:1-8

The gospel of today contains the parable of the judge who was being pestered by a poor widow to do her justice. Although the unjust judge did not do it because of his sense of justice, he nevertheless avenged the poor widow because of her insistence. The lesson that Our Lord added to this parable is quite explicit: "Pray always and do not lose heart." (Lk 18:1)

God always listens to our prayers. And since He is a loving Father, He not only listens but he wants to give us the best. However, at times we pray for things that, in the all-knowing mind of God, He knows are not the best for us. And so it seems that our prayers are unanswered. In fact they have been answered, better than we could have suspected.

At other times, God wants us to pray some more before he grants us what we are asking for. That is because prayer is in itself something very good for us. Prayer makes us more aware of our condition as creatures and our dependence on God.

Word Today, Oct. 18, 2004 (Saint Luke, evangelist)

Readings: 2 Tm 4:10-17b/ Lk 10:1-9

Today is the feast of St. Luke, the author of one of the gospels as well as of the Acts of the Apostles. Both works are preceded by his explanation that he had somehow "researched" what he had written, based on eyewitnesses and reliable written accounts.

We have here an example of the adage, "God helps those who help themselves." We know that, being part of the Sacred Scriptures, the works of St. Luke are inspired, and therefore their principal author is God himself. At the same time, St. Luke is a real author and his personal characteristics, in this case reliability and accuracy of details, are present in those works. God acts through our efforts. We must pray and act at the same time. We must act diligently and know that while we seem to be putting in everything, it is actually God who puts the effectiveness and goodness in our actions.