October 20, 2020 Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time (Lectionary: 474)
Reading 1 EPH 2:12-22
Brothers and sisters:
You were at that time without Christ,
alienated from the community of Israel
and strangers to the covenants of promise,
without hope and without God in the world.
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off
have become near by the Blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, he made both one
and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his Flesh,
abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,
that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,
thus establishing peace,
and might reconcile both with God,
in one Body, through the cross,
putting that enmity to death by it.
He came and preached peace to you who were far off
and peace to those who were near,
for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners,
but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones
and members of the household of God,
built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,
with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together
and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;
in him you also are being built together
into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
Responsorial Psalm PS 85:9AB-10, 11-12, 13-14
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Alleluia LK 21:36
Be vigilant at all times and pray
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”
By Sadie Curtin
Today we hear the psalmist joyfully proclaim, “The Lord speaks of peace to his people. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.” I so desperately hold onto these words today, as I so desperately want this vision to become a reality.
I want kindness and truth to meet in all places where decisions are made, policies created, and mission statements are formulated. I want justice and peace to kiss so that the spaces where hatred and bigotry run rampant dissipate. I desire a kiss of justice and peace to radiate in all situations where it seems impossible, but so necessary.
A global pandemic, a presidential election, and a prominent uncovering of white supremacy has me feeling a deep longing for the psalmist to come back and to shout this message from the mountaintop.
I am yearning for a confident voice to proclaim a message revealing that truth will exude from the earth, from the created matter of our loving God.
I am seeking an optimistic voice to ensure that justice will look down from heaven and inspire humanity to embrace it fully, willingingly.
I am longing for a voice that ensures that the Lord of love, justice, kindness, truth, and peace will guide me, comfort me and empower me as I navigate my role in this world.
I pause to ask myself as I yearn, seek, and long for the voice of another if I am being that voice? As I wait for someone else, am I failing to use my own voice?
I so deeply appreciate the poetic nature of the psalms for the beauty, hope, and emotion. But, I would be remiss to fail to admit how much the language of the psalms challenges me. I so often vibe with what is being emoted in a psalm, but I often struggle with the translation of it into my own life.
It is easy to admire a psalm, but not as easy to embody the message wholeheartedly.
It is my prayer today that I can embody this psalm authentically, excitedly, and hopefully so that I can be an advocate and voice for kindness, truth, justice, and peace through the things I post, the conversations I start, and the one-one-one dialogues I have as a theology teacher, friend, sister, daughter, and Catholic. I pray you will join me.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sadie Curtin is a high school theology teacher who finds herself most invigorated by LGBTQIA+ equity, racism, and the profound beauty of world religions. She finds joy in taking long walks with friends, reading a thought-provoking memoir, and trying to find the best pizza in Cleveland. She loves to dive deep into issues of social justice and would love to engage in conversation with you! Find more about her here.