Saturday, November 19, 2011

11/22/2011 – Tuesday - Memorial of St Cecilia - Tuesday of the 34th week of ordinary time – Luke 21:5-11


       Jesus talks about the end times and the signs that will accompany the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem.  The Temple was the centerpiece of the worship of the Jewish people.  They had seen it destroyed more than 5 centuries earlier when many of the people were exiled to Babylon.  They then had seen it rebuilt with great sacrifice and great effort.  Jesus tells us the there will be many people coming to us with signs and with answers, but that we should not be deceived by these false prophets.  You may remember Rev. Harold Camping, who predicted that world would come to an end back on May 21 of this year, and then he revised his prediction to October 21.  Well, we are still here, and Rev. Camping is giving various rambling explanations as to why his predictions had failed.  Yet, he is still scouring the Bible, trying to predict again when the earth will come to an end. 
         Yet, what if we were to live each day being ready whenever the world will come to an end.  If we are true to our faith, if we follow God’s will in our lives, whatever that may be, then we will be ready, no matter when it comes. 
         Today, we celebrate the memorial of St Cecilia, one of the most honored saints from the early Church.  I saw the catacombs where St Cecilia was buried when I went to Rome earlier in the year, which was a very memorable and touching experience. Tradition has it that Cecilia died as a young girl, but that her faith was so strong that she sang her heart to the Lord as she was put to death by the Romans.  Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians and Church music. 
         Although Cecilia lived way back in the 2nd century, we still celebrate her faith today.  Although she died a young girl, she lived a life full of faith and full of love, a faith that speaks out to us across time and space.  May we live each day to its fullest, giving glory to God, doing all we can to give him honor and praise. 



No comments:

Post a Comment