Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

The BreadCast


Daily Exposition of the Readings for Catholic Mass...

as well as Prayers to the Saints on the General Roman Calendar (for the U.S.).  

From the books Our Daily Bread and Prayers to the Saints by James H. Kurt - both with imprimatur.

Nov 7, 2022

(Ti.2:1-8,11-14;   Ps.37:3-4,18,23,27,29,39;   Lk.17:7-10) 

“Live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age.”

Brothers and sisters, be “eager to do what is right” as servants of the Most High God.  “Trust in the Lord and do good, that you may dwell in the land and enjoy security.”  For “the Lord watches over the lives of the wholehearted; their inheritance lasts forever.”

Paul gives instruction to all on how to live a godly life here on this earth.  He “tell[s] the older men that they must be temperate, serious-minded, and self-controlled”; the older women that they must give “good example” to the younger women, teaching them thus “to love their husbands and children, to be sensible, chaste, loving at home, kindly, submissive to their husbands”; “the young men to keep themselves completely under control”; and those who teach to “have the integrity of serious, sound words to which no one can take exception.”  Then “no opponent will have anything bad to say about us”; then we will have given right witness to Christ in this age.

And “when [we] have done all [we] have been commanded to do” by the Lord and His apostles, when we have fully served Him and one another in our life on this earth – when we have finished “prepar[ing] [His] supper” and “put[ting] on our apron and wait[ing]” on our brothers – what should we do but say in all humility and in all truth: “We are useless servants.  We have done no more than our duty”?  For this is what will assure us that we will “abide forever”; this will prove that we are as our Lord, “who sacrificed Himself for us,” and so, with “the just [we] shall possess the land, and dwell in it forever.”

Our God has come “to redeem us from all unrighteousness and to cleanse us for Himself as a people of His own.”  Let us show we are that people by ever being “sound in the faith, loving, and steadfast,” doing all for the Lord and our neighbor.  In this way we indicate that even upon the dust of this earth “we await our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of the great God and of our Savior Jesus Christ.”  In this way we attain to the age to come, where we shall be seated at His table.

*******

O LORD, help us to turn from all sinful ways

and complete the work you command us to do.

YHWH, we are useless servants; help us to fulfill the tasks you set before us, to be eager to do what is right.  For this is what will gain us entrance to your kingdom, to a place at your table – if we live temperately, devoutly and justly in this world, as even your Son has done.

Should we fall into disrepute?  Should we not be self-controlled?  It is serious work to which you call us, O LORD, and so let our words be sound and our behavior above reproach, and to you we shall be as witness and bring our souls with the souls of others into the security of your blessed land, where we shall dwell forever.

We are blessed to do your work, LORD, to serve you in this world.  For in such work you are with us; your will is accomplished even in this flesh and bone.  And so, let us give ourselves entirely to you and to your ways, submissive in all things, and we shall be redeemed from all unrighteousness and cleansed for your kingdom.