READ BOB GARVEY, Woo-Hoo… every TUESDAY,,, pop-up- free and commercial-free, at Bro BLU on FaceBook.
‘This’ reflection by Mark Gates. FIRST Reading- Proverbs 31:10-13, 19, 20 ,30, 31. When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She obtains wool and flax and works with loving hands. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle. She reaches out her hands to the poor and extends her arms to the needy. **Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting. The woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her a reward for her labors and let her works praise her at the city gates.
**I have to admit, that with the exception of ‘A Catholic Moment’ readers, friends and family… Most of the world would choke on this description of a wife. ‘I’ AGREE, that wives should be held in high regard for who they are, their contributions to the home & their husbands, and especially their contributions to the communities in which they live.
‘Traditional’ views (like this Proverb) of anything, are rejected off-handedly these days as being ‘Old-Fashioned’ or ‘Not Relevant’ to modern times. Has personal, reciprocal respect really become irrelevant? Or old-fashioned? Sadly, it would seem so.
Over the many millennia, mankind as a ‘whole’ has never depleted it’s us-vs-them mentality. The pieces continually changing, but the game of hatred stays the same. If you feel the word ‘hatred’ is too strong a word, then merely appreciate everything that is only slightly less so. For instance, dis-respect, gossip, disgust, judgementalism and calculated apathy. It is a swift downward spiral indeed that leads to either sinful middle ground, or the extremes.
**DECENCY… Common Decency, as flimsy as it appears to be at times, is what makes our lives worth living. In 1968 Louis Armstrong sang “It’s a Wonderful World” (relisten, it’s great). Those are not naïve or pie-in the sky words. The world around us is worth struggling for. The world of goodness and decency (Old notions) toward our fellow folks is worth our attention and action. At the risk of sounding like an old hippie, we could sure use a summer of love again.
Second Reading, 1Thess 5:1-6. Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security”, then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. **But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.
**Paul’s encouragement is just that, inspiration. I also believe that when times are good, especially by the hand of God, we risk getting complacent. Forgetting to ‘pay attention’ is St. Paul’s message. Pay attention! Praise God.!! In sickness and in health, richer or poorer…, you get the idea. “THE” Final days don’t need to happen in our lifetime. OUR final day ‘will’ absolutely happen, capping off our lifetime. Can we, like Paul, say that we have remained faithful in running the race. Let’s be ready to respond.
Gospel Matt 25:14-21, “The Talents”. Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two and to a third, one. Giving to each according to his ability. Then he went away. *”After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing an ‘additional’ five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come and share your master’s joy.'”
**The longer version, option, is Matt 25:14-30, and ends very negatively, with the servant who merely gave back the talent that the master entrusted him with, being punished and scorned.
*There are valued lessons in both versions. The trust of valuable items (talents), Spiritual Charisms, are ‘invested’ in us. God gives us these gifts, like our very life for beginnings. Then there’s God’s church and the flourishing perpetuation of the people of God. All gifts are given for the buildup and strengthening of this kingdom. Talents… use them or lose them. Our God will seek a return on His investment.
The kingdom of God IS a wonderful world. Let’s smile, give a hug, and build our portion of Eden. Joy-Joy-Joy, Thank You for smiling with me today. Mark… Bro BLU.
NEWZ… BOB GARVEY is at BRO BLU on FaceBook. Woo-Hooo!
READ BOB Garvey, pop-up- free and commercial-free at Bro BLU on FaceBook.
