• Login
    View Item 
    •   CDR Home
    • Mission and Ministry
    • Daily Reflections Archive
    • View Item
    •   CDR Home
    • Mission and Ministry
    • Daily Reflections Archive
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Reflection for Friday, November 9, 2001: Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

    View/Open
    110901.html (4.144Kb)
    Author
    Wirth, Eileen
    Date
    2001-11-09
    Office/Affiliation
    College of Arts and Sciences; Journalism, Media and Computing

    Reading 1
    Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

    Psalm
    Psalms 46: 2-3, 5-6, 8-9

    Reading 2
    1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17

    Gospel
    John 2:13-22

    Lectionary Number
    671. Year I, Ordinary Time.

    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Browse: Previous Reflection * Next Reflection

    Reflection:

    To see the original html page, click the file link on the left.

    Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome

    If you sometimes doubt that your life has any value, today's readings should dispel those fears.

    We are precious in the eyes of God. He will help us in our time of distress. That's the message we can draw, especially from the reading from Corinthians and the Psalm.

    "If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy," says St. Paul.

    A couple of things strike me about this passage: + The value God places on his "temples" is all-encompassing. In God's eyes, a severely handicapped person has as much value as a Fortune 500 CEO or a Rhodes scholar. This value is God's gift, not something we earn through our accomplishments, however commendable they may be. God values us simply because we are his much-loved creation. + God will punish those who destroy "his temples." As one who deals constantly with young people, I'm acutely aware of the many ways we can destroy or diminish other people, especially fragile people. Often we do so unthinkingly and some of it is unavoidable. Teachers can't give everyone A's and bosses can't rate all employees as superior. Parents must discipline their children. However we need to find ways of evaluating and admonishing that open windows rather than close doors.

    We cannot escape the pain of life. God doesn't promise us a trouble-free passage so much as support when we need it. "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress," says the Psalm. "Therefore we fear not, though the earth be shaken and the mountains plunge into the depths of the sea."

    When we are in pain, we need to recall our inherent value in God's eyes and His love and support for us. When we must occasionally cause pain to others, we must do so in a way that builds "temples" rather than destroys them. If we do so, we will surely find the support we need when we are the "temples" threatened with destruction.
    Link
    Go to the Daily Reflection web site

    Persistant link to this record
    http://hdl.handle.net/10504/55492
    Browse
    Previous Reflection * Next Reflection

    Collections
    • Daily Reflections Archive

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    @mire NV
     

     

    Browse

    All of the CDRCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2015  DuraSpace
    Contact Us | Send Feedback
    Theme by 
    @mire NV