DOCILITY, NOT HOSTILITY

“Teacher, in speaking this way You insult us too!” —Luke 11:45

Jesus speaks strongly of lifestyle changes in today’s Gospel reading. He gives the Pharisees and lawyers a direct warning of the consequences of their hypocrisy and pride (Lk 11:42ff). The lawyers disregarded Jesus’ loving and expert warning and claimed He was insulting them (Lk 11:45). After Jesus concluded His diagnosis and prescription, “the scribes and Pharisees began to manifest fierce hostility to Him” (Lk 11:53). His listeners did not heed His words.

St. Paul spoke strongly of lifestyle changes in his letter to the Romans. He warned of the natural and eternal consequences of the sinful lifestyles of idolatry (Rm 1:23), homosexual activity (Rm 1:24-27), and other acts of wickedness (Rm 1:29ff). St. Paul is also giving a loving diagnosis and prescription. Try reading Romans 1:18-32 in the average college classroom, corporate workplace, or other “enlightened” setting and see whether the reaction of your hearers is docility or “fierce hostility.” Many would think they were being insulted (see Lk 11:45) rather than being warned in love.

If your doctor told you to change your lifestyle or die, you would probably act with docility and not think you were being insulted. Accordingly, repent of any hostility to Doctor Jesus. Repent of not being docile to Him. He is Almighty God, the ultimate authority. Let Him tell you anything. Then “do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5).

Prayer: Father, help me to daily sit at Your feet (Lk 10:38-42), hear Your words, and act on them (Jas 1:22).
Promise: “Do you not know that God’s kindness is an invitation to you to repent?” —Rm 2:4
Praise: Rather than attend a popular girl’s party where questionable activities would ensue, Marissa called upon her Lord and refused the invitation.

Feast of the Day

October 12
St. Seraphin of Montegranaro
(1540-1604)

Born into a poor Italian family, young Seraphin lived the life of a shepherd and spent much of his time in prayer. Mistreated for a time by his older brother after the two of them had been orphaned, Seraphin became a Capuchin Franciscan at age 16 and impressed everyone with his humility and generosity.
Serving as a lay brother, Seraphin imitated St. Francis in fasting, clothing and courtesy to all. He even mirrored Francis’ missionary zeal, but Seraphin’s superiors did not judge him to be a candidate for the missions.

Faithful to the core, Seraphin spent three hours in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament daily. The poor who begged at the friary door came to hold a special love for him. Despite his uneventful life, he reached impressive spiritual heights and has had miracles attributed to him.

Seraphin died on October 12, 1604, and was canonized in 1767.

Comment:

For many people these days, work has no significance beyond providing the money they need to live. How many share the belief expressed in the Book of Genesis that we are to cooperate with God in caring for the earth? The kind of work Seraphin did may not strike us as earth-shattering. The work was ordinary; the spirit in which he did it was not.

Quote:

In Brothers of Men, Rene Voillaume of the Little Brothers of Jesus speaks about ordinary work and holiness: “Now this holiness [of Jesus] became a reality in the most ordinary circumstances of life, those of work, of the family and the social life of a village, and this is an emphatic affirmation of the fact that the most obscure and humdrum human activities are entirely compatible with the perfection of the Son of God.” Christians are convinced, he says, “that the evangelical holiness proper to a child of God is possible in the ordinary circumstances of a man who is poor and obliged to work for his living.”