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Monday 20th
Week OT
Bon Secours Retreat
August 17, 2017
TWO SAD SITUATIONS ++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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I’m not sure which is sadder:
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Children of Israel paying no attention 2 their
judges or the rich young man who turns his back on J
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Each shows stubbornness and both turn their
backs on God’s messengers
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Both situations are sad
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Yet, taking a step back from the emotion, we can
discern something deeper with both of them
JEWS IN THE BOOK OF
JUDGES +++++++++++++++++++
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In the Book of Judges, children of Israel R a
people still learning how to live in covenant with God
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At one time, it was Moses alone who led them
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Now a host of judges has assumed leadership
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And down the line, a king will replace those
judges
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All that is to say their story is young yet
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Group is youthfully disobedient at this point
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By way of application, the rebelliousness and
disobedience of our childhood or teenage may still be part of us, when we lose
our temper, answer rudely or don’t pay attention to what is being said
YOUNG MAN IN THE
GOSPEL ++++++++++++++++++++
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And, as for the young man in the Gospel, we all
know that growing up is no easy task
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Youthfulness does tend to devalue the long
vision of what it takes to mature into full humanity
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So maybe we can cut the young man some slack
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Here again there’s application to ourselves
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Perhaps we can acknowledge that it takes time to
mature in the spiritual life, even at our age
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Maturation isn’t a straight clean even line
upward
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It’s more a succession of ups and downs with an
overall upward movement
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Maybe we need to acknowledge that we all
struggle to arrive at spiritual maturity
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One day we’re up; another day we’re down
CONCLUSION
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Perhaps we may be ripe today for hearing the
word of God & receiving the Eucharist
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…ripe for a deeper awareness and another level
of maturity
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We are invited to allow Jesus to transform our
rebelliousness & religious immaturity into opportunities for mercy, growth,
and maturity
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