Daily Reflection for Tuesday, November 03, 2020
Peace and Blessings, Friends and Parishioners,
We encourage you to reflect on Tuesday’s readings at this link
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110320.cfm
If you prefer to use your own Bible, the readings are:
First Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
Responsorial: Psalm 22:26-32
Gospel: Luke 14:15-24
Our reflection on Tuesday’s readings:
“Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God. Luke 14:15
I grew up with six sisters and one brother, so our house was busy. My father worked as a superintendent of the Duquesne National Steel Works and was the sole breadwinner. My mother took care of us and everything else, including cleaning, laundry, cooking and baking every day. Yes, we also had chores to help but leading us in our tasks was probably even more work for Mom.
One way our mother shared her love for us was through her cooking and baking. Home-cooked meals were a way of life for us and saying grace before supper was a part of our everyday life together. Mom, Dad, and eight kids ate dinner together every evening, and Grandma came over on Sunday. I can remember that part of the pre-dining experience included my Mom calling out: "Get your brother to come to dinner here after he washes his hands." or "Turn off the TV, it is time for dinner." It isn't that we weren't hungry or that we didn't enjoy eating together. We were just too busy with other activities to come and pray grace and eat together. Similar to our Gospel reading, there would be no accommodation if you were late for dinner or refused to eat what was served.
Skipping out on a family meal was never an option. Neither was missing Mass on Sunday. Somehow all ten of us would pack into a Chevy station wagon, and Dad would drive us to Mass at Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament Church. I didn't understand then that Mass was an experience of a Heavenly banquet, and that Communion of the Blessed Sacrament was the bread of life the way I do now, thanks to the teachings of Scott Hahn and blessings from the Holy Spirit. We are all called to the Lord's Supper.
I can examine my thoughts and actions today and ask: How have I made excuses to miss the Heavenly banquet that is Mass during this pandemic? Or how have I daydreamed during Mass or thought about what we were planning to do after Mass? Like the invited guests in the Gospel reading, I have allowed earthly things to distract me from heavenly bliss. I need to focus on the blessings I feel when accepting the invitation to the banquet and receiving the Body of Christ.
Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God. Amen!
Love and Blessings,
Deacon John McShea