Wednesday, October 30, 2013


Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

(Romans 8:26-30; Luke 13:22-30)

Fr. Richard Rohr speaks convincingly of the two halves of human life.  In the first half people learn to control their egos from running wild.  Then need to have laws imposed so that at least they may live with others without mortal conflict.  During the second half of life, Rohr sees a different challenge.  By this time people have learned some self-control, but there is still need to be transformed into gentle, caring subjects.  They may be driven by their culture or perhaps their instincts to work against this need.  For this reason believers at least are endowed with the Holy Spirit of which St. Paul writes to the Romans as seen in today’s first reading.

Paul says that the Spirit intercedes on behalf of believers asking for what the heart does not know it needs.  The heart wants solutions to what it sees as problems confronting the human person.  But the Spirit knows that what is essential is not outer domination but inner peace that comes from knowing God as Father.  We may pray for insight and strength, but the Spirit prays in us for docility and humility.

The human project which each of us faces is an enormous task.  Simply put, it is to become a saint.  Unfortunately, we have only one opportunity to work it out.  Fortunately, we have the Spirit within moving us to sanctity and praying for us to succeed.