|  | Daily Bible Reflections Archive
 |
Theo Tigno•
10/25/2004 11:32 am
Reply To Post
|
Monday, October 25th 2004 |
Luke 13:10-17
Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity." He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day." The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for a special intention.
Today's cardinal virtue is the fourth and last virtue: temperance.
Temperance is the moral virtue that moderates the attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of created goods. It ensures the will's mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is honorable. The temperate person directs the sensitive appetites toward what is good and maintains a healthy discretion: "Do not follow your inclination and strength, walking according to the desires of your heart." Temperance is often praised in the Old Testament: "Do not follow your base desires, but restrain your appetites." In the New Testament it is called "moderation" or "sobriety." We ought "to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world." - Catechism of the Catholic Church
The woman in today's reading is led to Christ through her weakness. In her weakness, she saw her need for Our Lord and Our Lord responded to her prayer.
Today's virtue is temperance, and for many of us, we have something that we struggle with. For me, it's food. Some struggle with alcohol. Some struggle with sex. Food is not a bad thing, just as sex isn't bad and alcohol, in moderation, is not bad.
I heard something in a homily yesterday that our greatest vice is our greatest virtue. As I read through today's reading, our greatest vice needs to be submitted to Christ. Our greatest vice should lead us to Christ so that He can place things in order. It is through Christ that we will be able to recognize our need for temperance, and it is through temperance that we see God's goodness in His providence and His mercy. Take care and God Bless.
|
|
| |
