Luke 19: 26
I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for Alfonso Castillo, as he completed his pilgrimage in Europe.
Today's full Gospel reading is Luke 19: 11-28.
A friend of mine, Alfonso, completed a 500 mile, 2 month hike this past week. When I think of today's reading, I think about telling you about his journey. Here is a quote from the last email I got from him:
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"A Benedictine nun in Leon told me about the tradition along the Camino of taking a rock to a place in the mountains after Leon called Cruz de Fierro. A pilgrim would toss the rock on to the pile of stones under the cross of iron and would be symbolically casting his sins onto the cross of Christ and so would be giving birth to new person while completing this act.
"The rock for me me represents mostly all the anger, pride, resentment, bitterness, sadness, confusion, and self-centeredness I have been carrying with me. In my heart, I will be throwing the rock onto the cross of Christ. The ocean has always been a place where I sense God just beacuse the ocean is so huge just like God so I know that He will receive my sins and, with grace and prayer, I will start living the calling of the 'new man!'"
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I quote him as my reflection today because it his story is a beautiful illustration of a man who had such a strong faith, Satan took him the edge in challenging it, and through obedience, was able to pursue it and desire it even more than before. His faith is much stronger because of the trials, and God was indeed faithful to his faithfulness.
Take care and God Bless.
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