8/18/2014 – Monday of 20th week of Ordinary Time – Deuteronomy 32:18-20

      I had not spent a lot of time visiting my siblings in the last couple of years, so I arranged to see them when I travel to a mission appeal on the East Coast last weekend. I spent my layover on the train in Chicago visiting my brother, and then spent several days with my sister and her family in Boston before heading to the mission appeal in New Jersey. With my brother, we not only ate in diner in downtown Chicago where my parents and grandparents had eaten before, but I also visited the Chicago Cultural Center, housed in the old city public library building built in the 1890s.   In fact, in the cultural center, there was an exhibit of recent object and graphic design innovations that have come out of Chicago in recent years.

       I thought of these experiences I had last week when I saw the responsorial psalm today, which is actually taken from the book of Deuteronomy.  The refrain states: “You have forgotten God who gave you birth.”  It is good for us to remember where we came from, but, unfortunately, we sometimes can forget about our heritage and our beginnings.  And that relates to not only our family heritage, but our spiritual heritage as well.  If we think about our Bible readings, we can reflect upon how we are handed down the faith by the prophets such as Ezekiel and by examples of faith such as the rich young man in the Gospel who wanted to fully live out his faith and his discipleship.

      May we always remember our roots – where we came from.  May we always remember our heritage – our earthly heritage and our spiritual heritage.  As we recall those who passed down the faith to us, we will receive their prayers and intercessions, both guidance and renewal in our lives of faith.