Oct 3 - 26th Week in OT - Tuesday

+ We have two complementary readings today at mass. The gospel passage is about Jesus resolutely making his way to Jerusalem – once again, still. Every road that Jesus ever traveled in his life always had Jerusalem as its final end. Jesus always lived under the shadow of the cross of suffering and victory; and he was always protected in all his endeavors by the outstretched wings of angels, and upheld by the strong arms of God, his unseen heavenly Father!

Jesus mission was to go from city to city, from town to town, and to speak God the Father’s Peace and Truth, and Love and Compassion. It is today comical to see James and John wanting to “call down fire and burn up” the people who do not receive Jesus well. If that were the case, the entire landscape throughout the world, both then and now, would have scorched and smoldering piles of doubt and suspicion scattered about.

Jesus probably laughed to himself but then “rebuked” – “kindly rebuked the boys” – who would one day learn to “channel their enthusiasm” and even attempt to give their lives for him and the very message that he is announcing day after day.

          In fact, he is still announcing the same message every day, primarily by the Scriptures proclaimed at Mass, the informed homily given by the priest or deacon; and through song, and readings, and poetry, but most especially and effectively through right and good, honest and forthrightly compassionate and merciful service to all brothers and sisters in need – especially the poor and the marginalized.

His one prerequisite is that we try to honestly let his light shine through us, and to give him permission to “get to others” using our words, and actions.

In the first reading, the neighboring tribes knew that “God was on the side of the people of Israel, the Jews,” and that their lives somehow were “different” because of their connection with him – however mysterious it might appear to be. And so apparently, they decided to take ten men from each city to “take a Jew by the sleeve and say, ‘We want to go with you, for we have learnt God is with you.”

This, brothers and sisters, is our goal, to have people want to “take our sleeve” spiritually, psychologically and even physically” and “go with us”  because the can see God’s Peace and Light shining brightly through us, and they want desperately what we have – by God’s grace.

Fed Eucharistically at this table at this mass, our Peace and Light are FIRED UP to a magnificent brilliance by its end, so we can go forth and glorify God by the life we lead – an adventurous life, that is filled with many peaks and valleys, but always on a slightly inclined passageway and path that will lead us straight “across the Bridge” which spans the chasm of darkness, turmoil, lies, deceptions and chaos of the Evil One as he is now more brazenly apparent in the World than ever before – into the Promised Paradise of JOY and Bliss that will last forever.

O Lord, bend our hearts, that we might stay on the path, that we might do you will. and follow you into eternity!