Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 PHIL 3:17—4:1
Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified Body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.
Responsorial Psalm PS 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Alleluia 1 JOHN 2:5
Whoever keeps the word of Christ,
the love of God is truly perfected in him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 16:1-8
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
‘What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward.’
The steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes.’
He called in his master’s debtors one by one.
To the first he said, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of olive oil.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.’
Then to another he said, ‘And you, how much do you owe?’
He replied, ‘One hundred measures of wheat.’
He said to him, ‘Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty.’
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light.”
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. // Philippians 3:20
Two years ago, I went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and participated in a leadership course for two weeks. To say this was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on would be an understatement.
It was such a gift to be in the place where our Lord actually walked, grew up, and taught. And even more, it was a privilege to be with the group of young women I was with. Over thirty of us came together from nine different countries as strangers and left as sisters.
We shared such deep encounters of the Lord and lived those two weeks with so much joy. I still look back at all my memories with delight. But after I left, I felt so sad, and I longed to be back there with them.
It wasn’t my home, yet I felt so homesick.
How was that possible? All I wanted was to go back. I felt like I belonged there, like it was a foreshadowing of heavenly joy.
Sister, do you ever feel that way about Heaven? Longing to be home with our Creator?
Although our time on earth has its joys and beauties, it can often be filled with sin, suffering, and darkness. It is uncomfortable, dirty, and temporary. This is not our home.
Our ultimate home is with God in Heaven.
In today’s First Reading, Saint Paul reminds us that our citizenship is in Heaven (see Philippians 3:17-4:1). Our citizenship as believers is in Heaven. Our eternal home is in Heaven with the Lord.
Is your heart longing for home?
It is easy to be discouraged in the waiting, but stand firm in the Lord. Don’t let the temporary pain of life on earth pull you away from the joy of what’s coming. Stay close to and rely on the Lord, and He will sustain you in this life. Live in His joy here and remember your destination.
Mary Peach lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. She works remotely as a resource specialist for Regnum Christi after recently finishing her Master’s in Psychology. She was born in Ethiopia and adopted when she was eleven years old. Mary fell in love with the Lord as a deep and personal friend and made it her mission to help others encounter Him the same way she did. She loves to share her adoption story and healing journey in hopes to help others embrace their journey of healing as well.
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