October 5, 2014 – Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time
Is 5: 1-7; Ps 80: 9, 12-16, 19-20; Phil 4: 6-9; Mt 21: 33-43
Throughout his letters to the various communities of faith, St. Paul offers some excellent advice. In today’s reading from his epistle to the Philippians he urges them to “…have no anxiety at all…the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Of course, we may be familiar with the adage, “easier said than done.”
St. Paul is trying to remind us that if we trust in the Lord, if we turn to the Lord regularly, if we view the Lord as our constant companion and supporter, many of the trials we face and many of the burdens we bear will be easier. People who have a consistent and faith-filled prayer life understand both what St. Paul is saying and the truth of what he says.
Two important facets of lives of stewardship are prayer and trust. Too often we may become overly self reliant, trying to carry our crosses without the help of the Lord. Develop a prayer life and awareness that Jesus is there to help, every day in every way, and the world can be a much more positive place. As St. Paul tells us in the final verse of today’s second reading if we do all of this “Then the God of peace will be with you.”
