TODAY'S MEDITATIONS

Catholic Calendar for Thursday, November 18, 2010 Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul in Rome Memorial of Saint Rose Duchesne, virgin  Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:  Revelation 5:1-10  Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b Luke 19:41-44 A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture: Within the next few weeks we will be sending Christmas cards to family members and friends. In many we will be wishing them peace, "Peace on Earth!" In the gospel of today, Jesus laments for Jerusalem. He said, "If this day you only knew what makes for peace – but now it is hidden from your eyes." (Luke 19:42) What is our recipe for peace? Is it merely an absence of fighting or disturbance? How do we know whether we are experiencing peace? Are there degrees of peace? Are we always in touch with ourselves regarding peace, or a lack of it, or do we let others determine it after they interact with us? Soon we will be entering the liturgical season of Advent. We have the choice now to determine if we will use the time before Christmas to reflect on the peace or lack of it in our lives – or, we can get caught up in the secular approach to Christmas where each day becomes more and more of a whirlwind, and we end up on Christmas eve totally exhausted, experiencing a very real lack of peace. Let us remember, there is quite a difference between peace and total exhaustion. Christ was born in a quiet, peaceful setting. May He find us at peace this coming Christmas eve.  ~ Joan of Jesus, OCDS | email: jmurphy(at)syracuse.net