ARE YOU READY FOR THE JOURNEY?
the small Wesleyan Chapel notice asks
Today’s Sunday Gospel begins with: “As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem.” This passage marks the beginning of the central section of Luke’s Gospel (chapters 9:51 – 19:27), recounting the journey which culminated in Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Today, as the word of God is being addressed to us, let us ponder that opening question: “Are you ready for the journey?”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, ‘Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfilment (CCC 1007). Death is the end of man’s earthly pilgrimage, of the time of grace and mercy which God offers him so as to work out his earthly life in keeping with the Divine Plan, and to decide his ultimate destiny’ (CCC 1013). It then continues: ‘The Church encourages us to prepare ourselves for the hour of our death’ (CCC 1014).
Guided by the Spirit, let us walk resolutely, steadfastly, uncompromisingly, the Christian path God has marked out for us since the moment of our baptism. c.f. St Paul’s letter to the Galatians – our second reading: “If you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is in opposition to the Spirit.”
Fr. Philip Sainter
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