Daily HOMILY for October 6, 2017: Friday in the 26th Week of Ordinary Time

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Friday 26^th Week OT

Quebec Cruise on Crystal Cruise Line

October 6, 2017

2 DEFICIENCIES ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  In Gospel J speaks of many great deeds he did in towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum

Ø  Yet, condemns towns and almost sounds harsh

Ø  Why is J esp tough on these folks?

Ø  From the context, seems that two deficiencies were involved

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES ++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  1^st there folks had been given a great opportunity in seeing J and his works personally, yet, they blew the opp

Ø  Insight: that the greater our opp is, the greater is our responsibility to notice and nurture it

Ø  It’s what makes J so angry

Ø  The lesson: we need to notice and nurture for example, by read a spiritually nourishing book or learn something more about prayer, or live w/ a greater sense of gratitude

Ø  These are opps that would deepen our relationship w/ the Lord

DOING NOTHING ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  2^nd deficiency that provokes J is that folks of these towns are guilty of doing nothing

Ø  So it’s not so much something they did, as something they failed to do

Ø  In our Catholic tradition we speak of sins of omission/commission

Ø  We are prone to focus on sins of commission rather than omission

Ø  What we could have done, but failed to do, e.g. quality time w/ grandchildren, caring for someone we saw in need: amputee visiting a new amputee, sitting w/ patients in pre-op, holding infants, pets on wheels

CONCLUSION +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ø  Each day God offers us signs of his presence as Jesus does to the citizens of those towns

Ø  It is up to us to notice & nurture and to act on behalf of the blessing received

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