32ND THURSDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 17:20-25) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“There will be those who will say to you, 'Look, there he is,' or 'Look, here he is.' Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.” (Lk 17:23)

FIRST READING - Wis 7:22-8:1

"For Wisdom is the reflection of eternal light, the spotless mirror of the power of God."

A reading from the Book of Wisdom

²² for Wisdom, the artisan of all, taught me.

^[a] For in her is a spirit    

intelligent, holy, unique,

Manifold, subtle, agile,    

clear, unstained, certain,

Never harmful, loving the good, keen,

²³unhampered, beneficent, kindly,

Firm, secure, tranquil,    

all-powerful, all-seeing,

And pervading all spirits,    

though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.

²⁴ For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,    

and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.

^25 [b]For she is a breath of the might of God    

and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;    

therefore nothing defiled can enter into her.

²⁶ For she is the reflection of eternal light,    

the spotless mirror of the power of God,    

the image of his goodness.

²⁷ Although she is one, she can do all things,    

and she renews everything while herself perduring;

Passing into holy souls from age to age,    

she produces friends of God and prophets.

²⁸ For God loves nothing so much as the one who dwells with Wisdom.

²⁹ For she is fairer than the sun    

and surpasses every constellation of the stars.

Compared to light, she is found more radiant;

³⁰ though night supplants light,    

wickedness does not prevail over Wisdom.

¹ Indeed, she spans the world from end to end mightily    

and governs all things well.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 17:20-25

"For behold, the kingdom of God is among you."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

^20 [a]Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he said in reply, “The coming of the kingdom of God cannot be observed, ^21 [b]and no one will announce, ‘Look, here it is,’ or, ‘There it is.’ For behold, the kingdom of God is among you.”

²² Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. ²³ There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ [or] ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit. ²⁴ For just as lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be [in his day]. ²⁵ But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.

32ND THURSDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 17:20-25)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

This is the very Word of God bestowed upon all humanity: God comes on the clouds of heaven, attended by His angels. It is then that all people hear His call, gather together, and praise and glorify God—the Most High.

But before God comes on the clouds of heaven, humanity must fulfill the plan that God has entrusted to them—that is, humanity must complete the duties He has given while they still live on earth.

The things that God has entrusted to humanity are the teachings and guidance given by the Son of God when He came into the world. Humanity must follow them. If one does not live according to God’s holy will, then when God comes on the clouds of heaven, that person will not share in the eternal happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven to come.

Therefore, even while still living on this earth, humanity should remain vigilant to hear and follow God’s holy will, and not listen to the temptations of Satan.

Satan will also disguise himself as the voice of God, as outwardly good things to lead humanity into his traps, to follow him, and to turn away from God and His holy commandments.

Satan seeks out the weaknesses of humanity to attack, tempt, and steal their souls. He takes advantage of the freedom that God has given to humanity to lead people away from Him.

The freedom that God has given to humanity is good, so that people may recognize the boundless love God has for them; for in true love there is no coercion or compulsion.

But once humanity has experienced and begun to walk in God’s love, people must absolutely obey His holy commandments, allowing Him to guide and direct them along the path of holiness that He has given; for only the path of holiness leads to the eternal happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven to come.

God desires humanity to strive to fulfill the duties He has entrusted to them even while they still live on this earth. Just as in the past, when the Son of God became man, He faithfully carried out the duties given by God the Father: He endured all suffering and trials, died on the cross, and rose again in glory.

The Kingdom of Heaven will also be granted to humanity when they follow the path that Jesus Christ has walked—the path of the cross, of suffering; yet this suffering must absolutely be borne within the grace of God. For Satan will also take advantage of suffering to pretend that it comes from God to mislead humanity, causing them to stray from the holy will that God has revealed, and thereby steal their souls away from God and from the grace that God the Father has granted them.

Thanks be to God. Amen.