Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time Year 2 2022

Title

Avoid the Bad; Do the Good

Outline

In one sense, the Christian life is easy

Avoid the bad

Do the good

But in a culture with competing ideas of what is bad and good, with some individualizing what is bad and good, this becomes difficult and teaching this becomes more difficult, for you are teaching children and youth to live counter-culturally in the midst of culturally attuned homes, even Catholic homes

Paul deals with the situation in 1 Corinthians

What does it mean to avoid idolatry in a society in which every special occasion, especially civic occasions, were celebrated with a meal in the temple of one of the divinities?

Paul has already said that the meat that came from sacrifices is neutral, that one can eat it if bought in the market or if served in a private home - so long as the host does not make a point of its origins, in which case love requires abstaining.

But in sharing in the sacrificial meat or drink in a cultic setting one is participating in the worship, one is joined to the cultic object, even if one does not believe it is even a deity.

Contrawise, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” That is, one actually participates in Christ, body and blood, by sharing in his body and blood.

And God does not allow dual allegiances, dual sharing.

Do the good, not the bad - and do not try to mix and match

Jesus takes the same principle and draws two conclusions

First, watch who you follow and who you allow to lead others. Ours is not to judge hearts and motives, but if the fruit is bad one has reason to doubt that the person is a good man or woman. And Jesus defines good fruit from bad - it is not up to me.

If I see a priest whose fruit is abuse (of any type) or anger, his masses may be valid, but I would not recommend participating in his parish or ministry.

The current meltdown of evangelical megachurch pastors and the Southern Baptist Convention, among other groups, is about pastors whose bad fruit was obvious years ago, but either it was ignored or even praised, or the “discipline” was surface only.

Second, the criterion for life success in God’s eyes is not knowing one’s Bible, but doing what Jesus teaches. When you see someone rationalizing away the teaching of Jesus, keep your distance. You do not want to participate in his or her collapse - if you are in the house the flood will take you too.

Sisters, this is down-to-earth practical

Read, learn, and inwardly digest and then practice what Jesus says is good, and you are safe. As part of this participate in his body and blood - as you do - and you are participating in him, so the “sap” in you will be good.

Look at the idols in the world, whether they be Christian nationalism, political idols, warrior idols, cultural idols, religious idols or whatever idols - often summed up in a person - avoid any participation in them. You do not need to denounce them, just participate in Jesus alone. God is the judge.

And, as you are trying to do, hang out with those who bear good fruit, whether in the faculty lounge or in the church, and avoid those whose fruit is bad.

And if there is any question as to whether something is good or bad, ask what Jesus said or would probably say. If that is our heart, God will guide us, and we are safe on the hill should the San Gabriel River flood.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 9-10-2022: Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

1 Corinthians 10:14–22

14 Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.

18 Look at Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 So what am I saying? That meat sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I mean that what they sacrifice, [they sacrifice] to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger? Are we stronger than he?

Catholic Daily Readings 9-10-2022: Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 116:17

17 I will offer a sacrifice of praise

and call on the name of the LORD.

PSALM

Psalm 116:12–13, 17–18

12 How can I repay the LORD

for all the great good done for me?

13 I will raise the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD.

17 I will offer a sacrifice of praise

and call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

Catholic Daily Readings 9-10-2022: Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John 14:23

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.

GOSPEL

Luke 6:43–49

43 “A good tree does not bear rotten fruit, nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For people do not pick figs from thornbushes, nor do they gather grapes from brambles. 45 A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good, but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil; for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command? 47 I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. 48 That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built. 49 But the one who listens and does not act is like a person who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against it, it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 9-10-2022: Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2022 | ORDINARY TIME

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 2 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading 1 Corinthians 10:14–22

Response Psalm 116:17

Psalm Psalm 116:12–13, 17–18

Gospel Acclamation John 14:23

Gospel Luke 6:43–49

GREEN