28th Week, Monday, Oct 11: St. John XXIII
Romans 1:1-7 / Luke 11:29-32
Paul discusses his calling; God called me to preach to the Gentiles.
Edward R. Murrow was one of the first news commentators to use the media with real power and skill. Recently a television spokesman recalled a prediction Murrow made in the 1950s: “Someday we'll be able to talk to our audience from any place in the world almost any time we want. When that day comes, what will we say?" The television spokesman then observed: “Murrow's prediction has come true, but we still haven't figured out what to say.”
Paul would know what to say to the world. It would be what he says in effect in today's reading: “Jesus is the Lord, and he calls all people to holiness.”
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Do we support efforts to use the media to spread the Gospel in our time? Jesus said, “What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” Matthew 10:27
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Starting today and for the next four weeks, we shall listen to Paul’s letter to the Romans. Today he presents himself as the Lord’s apostle, especially for the gentiles, and then he goes straight to the heart of the message he has to proclaim: that Jesus Christ is the son of David and our risen Savior.
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There are many lessons we can learn from the events of history and from the peoples of the past. These events also help us to create a greater awareness of our current situation and we also see that we have many advantages over the peoples of the past. We may feel anything from feeling sorry to being critical of the people in the gospel passage.
They were asking Jesus for a sign when THE sign was standing right before them. Jesus could only ask them to reflect upon the events of their own history and upon the lessons of their past, and He quoted two figures of the past for their reflection - Jonah and the Queen of the South.
Similarly, Jesus is also asking us to reflect on the events of our history so as to be more aware of our present spiritual state. Events like our baptism and our experiences of God all point to God's love for us and His mercy and forgiveness of our sins. We don't need more signs from God. We only need to remember and reflect upon the marvellous deeds He has done for us.
May we also respond to the call of Jesus for repentance and conversion.
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Jesus reprimands the Jews for not believing unless they see spectacular signs. But Christ proclaims that faith consists in trust in the word and in the person of the one who is sent. The early Christian community specified further: faith rests in confidence in the risen Christ. The preeminent sign is Jesus Christ himself. We believe not because of this or that wonder or proof but because Jesus makes God visible to us.
Prayer
Lord God, our Father, we too wish at times we could see signs that brace our hesitant faith. Give us a faith that is strong enough not to ask for wonders and proofs but simply to trust in you and in your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Deepen this faith and make it the very foundation of the whole of our life. We ask you this through Christ our risen Lord. Amen
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Oct 11, Pope St John XXIII (1881-1963)
Let the winds of change blow into the Church!” said His Holiness, Pope John XXIII, symbolically opening a window, at the commencement of Vatican II in the year 1962. Ever since, neither have the winds of change stopped blowing nor has any of John’s successors closed the window of the Church on the winds of change.
Born into a simple peasant family, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was ordained priest in 1904, drafted into the army as a stretcher-boy during World War I, appointed national director of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith in 1921, consecrated Bishop in 1925, made Cardinal-Patriarch of Venice in 1953 and elected Pope in 1958.
A many-sided personality, with deep reserves to draw upon, John, who was canonized in 2014, was a man with a keenness all his own—a keen foresight that led him to call the Council whose discussions, decisions and directives have had far-reaching implications; a keen sense of duty that ensured he maintained a busy schedule, whether as priest, bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal or Pope, that was both exacting and productive; a keen sense of humour that had him steer clear of controversy; and a keen sense of God’s providence that enabled him to promote a new dialogue with Protestants, Orthodox Christians and with Jews and Muslims as well.
