Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
(Romans
9:1-5; Luke 14:1-6)
St. Paul
implies in today’s first reading that unbaptized Jews are not saved from sin
and death. Why else would he wish that
he could be “accursed and cut off from Christ”? His anxiety over the fate of Jews, however,
seems to have been in vain if the teaching of Vatican II is to be
believed. The Council stated, “Those also can attain to
salvation who through no fault of their own do not know the Gospel of Christ or
His Church, yet sincerely seek God and moved by grace strive by their deeds to
do His will as it is known to them through the dictates of conscience.”
But Paul might still grieve over the reality that the Jews do not know
Christ. Salvation may be the pinnacle of
the benefits, but knowledge of Christ helps in other ways. Knowing Christ enables one to take comfort in
the mercy he provides. Today’s gospel
gives a good example. Jesus did not deny
the man with dropsy or swelling. Knowing
Christ also brings moral guidance.
People have to stretch themselves, and therefore be strengthened, as
they strive to love their enemies.
Knowing Christ should also bring one into the Church with its fellowship
of love and truth.
It would be a betrayal of Christ if we, who profess faith in him, snub our
neighbors who lack that faith. Knowing
him compels us to call others to him. Whether
we do so by a literal invitation or by a demonstration of his goodness, we want
to share our knowledge and love of Christ.
