That’s My Story And I’m Sticking To It

Just a quick note on the gospel today: don’t be fickle. American politics, especially during presidential election season, is like a modern day version of this passage from Luke. One day we are John The Baptist fans and the next day we are beheading him. One day we are welcoming Christ into our hearts with palm branches of praise and the next day we crucify him with our sin and ugly words. 

Jesus wants us to be convicted, resolute, and sure in our belief in Him. He wants our hearts undivided and purely in love with Him so that there is never any doubt that He is the one true savior of the world. This is a hard spiritual standard because we ARE like the kids on the playground that literally switch back and forth between best friends from recess to lunch and back again. Our natural human tendency is to be fickle and non-resolute in pretty much everything. The only way we can achieve this kind conviction is with the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. How do we tap into that? Intimacy through time spent in His presence, worship, relationship, and humility. Piece of cake, right? Have you ever heard the phrase, “That’s my story and I’m sticking to it?” This would apply here. We need to know The Story and we need to stick to it. The Story has been poured out through Christ and we have the honor and privilege to read it every day. We have a faith that gives us access to The Story any time, any place, and we have our minds that allow us to not only read the words on the page, but to find the deeper meaning in them so that we can apply it to our lives. Let’s spend some time in The Story so that we can stick to it with an undivided soul. In this season when words words words will be flung around like poison arrows ready to kill, let’s harness our own words in The Word to speak life, peace, beauty, and true freedom into the dry bones of our fickle world. It is well with my soul. 

Reading 1 1 TM 3:14-16

Beloved:
I am writing you,
although I hope to visit you soon.
But if I should be delayed,
you should know how to behave in the household of God,
which is the Church of the living God,
the pillar and foundation of truth.
Undeniably great is the mystery of devotion,

Who was manifested in the flesh,
vindicated in the spirit,
seen by angels,
proclaimed to the Gentiles,
believed in throughout the world,
taken up in glory.

Responsorial Psalm PS 111:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R.(2) How great are the works of the Lord!
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!

Alleluia SEE JN 6:63C, 68C

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life,
you have the words of everlasting life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
"To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.'

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, 'He is possessed by a demon.'
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.'
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children."