Rejected (Lk 17:25) by Shane Kapler

13 Nov Rejected (Lk 17:25) by Shane Kapler

“But first He must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.” ~ Lk 17:25 (full readings)
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Shane’s Reflections:  Today’s gospel is a roller coaster:  Jesus begins with the good news that “the Kingdom of God is among you” – Jesus is among us and extending the Kingdom, one converted heart at a time.  But then He cautions us; His Kingdom will not come with a show of power, at least not in history.  It cannot be equated with an earthly government, any earthly government, with its flawed economic and social policies.  No, the Kingdom will only come in power when our Lord returns as Judge at history’s end.  Before that, however, must come His Passion.  And before that must also come the Church’s Passion.  The Catechism of the Catholic Church is every bit as blunt on this point as our Lord in today’s gospel:  “Before Christ’s second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers [Lk 18:8; Mt 24:12]…The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final Passover, when she will follow her Lord in His death and Resurrection [Rev 19:19]…God’s triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgment after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world [Rev 20:12; 2 Pet 3:12-13]” (CCC 675-677).  Just as Jesus could say that He was “rejected by this generation;” so too will we.
* Shane Kapler is the author of Through, With, and In Him: The Prayer Life of Jesus and How to Make It Our Own and The God Who is Love: Explaining Christianity From Its Center. He is online at www.explainingchristianity.com..

Faith Challenge:  We must resign ourselves to the truth that we are meant to share our Lord’s Cross.  We deceive ourselves if we dare to imagine otherwise; it is the pattern of redemption.  Before the consummation of all things, all of the faithful will “suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation.”  To continue working and speaking out for the Way, the Truth, and the Life, in the midst of this struggle requires supernatural strength.  Pray for it – TODAY.  Pray for it every morning when you open your eyes, and every night before they close.  Ask the Lord incessantly, for you, your loved ones, and His entire people.

Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel..
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Our Prayers: Pray LIFE Runners Creed to End Abortion.  Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, unceasingly. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day:  St. Frances Xavier Cabrini
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Faith Quote:  “You only fight the fights you can win? You fight the fights that need fighting!” ~ A.J. MacInerney (Martin Sheen), The American President
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Through Christ our Lord,
Shane Kapler