Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:

Daniel 7:15-27
Daniel 3:82-87
Luke 21:34-36

Love and Truth

A reflection on today's Scripture:

The word "accountability" has become popular in discussions of politics and education, but strangely it is much less frequently applied to our relationship with God or between one another.

Many don't realize that unless we become "right" with God, we cannot possibly be "right" with family and neighbor. Lacking the love and truth we learn only from hearing and obeying God in Christ, we focus on others' conduct, easily take offense at them while overlooking how our own behavior may be hurting others. Conveniently we turn "accountability" into a one-way street.

Jesus reminds us in today's Gospel that we mustn't become so engrossed in superficial concerns and pleasures that we overlook both our mortality and immortality. The world's goods and our flesh are perishable; our soul lives forever and will be held accountable when we stand before the Son of Man.

As the new millennium approaches, we take elaborate measures to avert possible Y2K emergencies, computer breakdowns that may temporarily disrupt our lives. Should we not, all the more, ask ourselves what we are doing to prepare our immortal souls for that inevitable day of judgment? If admittance into heaven is so easy as some say today, then Christ's suffering and death was a needless and empty gesture.


Loving Redeemer,
plant seeds of love and truth within us;
help us grow abundant fruit unto eternal life.
Amen.


- Marie L. Bocko OCDS