Service to Christ

Sep 22: Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

This video from Fr. Casey doesn’t really have anything to do with today’s readings, but I thought it was interesting and important, so I’m sharing it anyway—

Reading 1

1 Tm 6:2c-12

Beloved: Teach and urge these things. Whoever teaches something different and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the religious teaching is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes. From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions, and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds, who are deprived of the truth, supposing religion to be a means of gain. Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it. If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that. Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all evils, and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains.

But you, man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.

Paul wants to make sure that Timothy doesn’t get mislead false teachers. Not just for its own sake, but because listening to bad teachers leads to all kinds of other friction among the faithful. A united to Church is what we should seek.

Which is why it’s good our priests take a vow of poverty. They’re devoted to the love of Christ, not the love of money. It’s one way to ensure they’re in communion with His true teachings.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one's life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!
Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
"They will praise you for doing well for yourself,"
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.
R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

This Psalm is meant to remind us not to be jealous of a person who becomes rich, even unjustly. There’s no amount of money that can buy your way into heaven. Besides…

Alleluia

See Mt 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

You don’t have to be smart to accept the Gospels. Lucky for me!

Gospel

Lk 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.

In the first reading, Paul tells Timothy to “pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.” Here, we see the Apostles and several women doing just that.

Some people served Jesus directly, while others provided monetarily. Again, from the first reading, money itself isn’t bad; love of money is. Those who provided “out of their resources” loved Jesus more than money.

We shouldn’t worry too much about how we serve Jesus and the Church, whether it’s with time, treasure, or talent, and we certainly shouldn’t compare our service to others’. Instead, we should do our best with what we can, and trust that God will do the rest.