Thursday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time
Intention: That all people will learn how to come together in generosity and trust to restore our spirit of community.
Today’s Gospel | Luke 17:20-25
Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come, Jesus said in reply, “The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”
From the Eleventh Meditation for the Time of Retreat | Saint John Baptist de La Salle
You, who are teachers of those you guide, must take all possible care to bring those under your guidance into the liberty of the children of God, which Jesus Christ obtained for us by dying for us. To do this, you need to have two qualities in your relationship with them. The first is gentleness and patience. The second is prudence in your reproofs and corrections.
Prayer
Eternal Father, forgiveness does not always come easily for us. It can be hard for us to let go of our anger or to trust someone’s apology. It takes faith to be forgiving, to believe that forgiveness is an act of strength and not a sign of weakness. Lord, help our lack of faith. Teach us to live our hopes rather than our fears and to reach out to others as brothers and sisters. In this healing, may we find paths to one another and to you. We ask this of you who lives and reigns with your Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.