DEVOTIONAL THURSDAY OCTOBER 22 , 2015

Reading the Liturgy Thursday, October 22, 2015

First Reading Romans 6: 19-23
I say in human terms because of the weakness you. For as you have submitted your members become servants of uncleanness and lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now have to give your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness. And fruit did you learn from him? Everything that you are now ashamed of the end of all is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye might receive the fruit leading to sanctification and as the end is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thus saith the Lord.

Psalm, Psalm 1: 1-2,3,4,6.
Blessed are those who put their trust in God
Blessed are those who do not walk in the counsel of the wicked, who does not stand in the way of sinners, and who does not sit in a collection of scoffers,
but the favorite is the law of God, and that his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither; what he doeth shall prosper. Not so the wicked are like chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not hold up in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous; because Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Gospel reading Luke 12: 49-53
"I came to cast fire on the earth and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I have spoken to you, not peace, but conflict. For from now on there will be conflict between the five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. They will be conflicting, fathers against sons and sons against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law against women and mother-in-law. "
Thus the Gospel of the Lord.

Afterthought.
Gara gara become a follower of Jesus, a young woman threatened will not be recognized again as a child of her parents. He really had torn between choosing Jesus or follow the will of their parents. As a child, he was fond of his parents and did not want to lose them. But on the other hand, he felt called to be a follower of Jesus. Indeed, he admitted that acquaint himself with Jesus that is her boyfriend. But after trying to seriously following Jesus, he feels more stable and happy. Even more he was able to appreciate that being a follower of Jesus must dare to deny themselves and carry the cross. Exemplary life and teachings of Jesus has given him strength. Although rejected and killed by many people, Jesus remained faithful to the Father and ask forgiveness for their pleasing, he also aspires like Jesus in addressing his parents.
St. Paul describes Jesus' followers as "people that are satisfied by the fullness of God" To meet the fullness of God, the source of all happiness that we have to pass a difficult path. This is experienced by Jesus himself in to the call of His Father. He himself had to grieve "I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is finished! Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I have spoken unto you, not peace, but conflict. "
The more we draw near to God, the more we feel there is so much inner conflict that we must face, above A young woman must face rejection of their parents. He faced the risk of isolated, For others again, because they follow Jesus, he may lose the position, power, influence, social status, facilities, property, and various other benefits. But for people who have been able to overcome his inner conflict and remain faithful to Allah, he indeed will experience true peace. Because only God is the source of all that peace. The Lord will do much more than what we ask or think as long as we are willing to surrender to him.

Items to contemplation.
Indeed, Jesus came to bring peace, but peace was not a peaceful outward
in the form of cheap tranquility obtained slut. Peace is the result of the peaceful inner struggle and struggle on the path of truth. Peace is in the form of a very deep inner peace because people are free from all kinds of mistakes and sins. Peaceful as it had been experienced on earth by people who believe in Jesus, but still limited and will be fully enjoyed in the world to come. Therefore, as followers of Christ should we continue to fight for truth and create peace.

Prayer
Oh God, ignite the fire of thy love in us so that we always choose you in our life, Amen.