Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time

CHAPTER ONE

DARK CLOUDS OVER A CLOSED WORLD

LACKING A PLAN FOR EVERYONE

Insufficiently universal human rights

24. We should also recognize that “even though the international community has adopted numerous agreements aimed at ending slavery in all its forms, and has launched various strategies to combat this phenomenon, millions of people today – children, women and men of all ages – are deprived of freedom and forced to live in conditions akin to slavery… Today, as in the past, slavery is rooted in a notion of the human person that allows him or her to be treated as an object… Whether by coercion, or deception, or by physical or psychological duress, human persons created in the image and likeness of God are deprived of their freedom, sold and reduced to being the property of others. They are treated as means to an end… [Criminal networks] are skilled in using modern means of communication as a way of luring young men and women in various parts of the world”.[21] A perversion that exceeds all limits when it subjugates women and then forces them to abort. An abomination that goes to the length of kidnapping persons for the sake of selling their organs. Trafficking in persons and other contemporary forms of enslavement are a worldwide problem that needs to be taken seriously by humanity as a whole: “since criminal organizations employ global networks to achieve their goals, efforts to eliminate this phenomenon also demand a common and, indeed, a global effort on the part of various sectors of society”.[22]

However, as soon as he looked down at the powerful waves and felt the strong wind, he began to sink.

Bishop Patrick J. Zurek

comfortable catholics in fear of being embarrassed do not take a seat at the table where serious discussions of worldwide problems such as “contemporary forms of enslavement”, pandemic protocols or the election take place; preferring to join the throng while sinking into discussions about the upcoming holidays…

socialist-catholics in fear desire to lead the throng and pretentiously take a seat at the table with “new ideals because they dare not attempt old ideals”…

maga-catholics in fear desire to lead the throng and pretentiously take a seat at the table with old ideals for problems that they cannot see…

Catholics in LOVE go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God where they will be seated at the table with both old and new ideals for “a common and, indeed, a global effort” for worldwide problems; rejoicing in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, that Christ is being proclaimed!!!

Today’s Scriptures

As long as in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,

Christ is being proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

PHIL 1:18B

R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.

I went with the throng

and led them in procession to the house of God.

PS 42:5EF

‘Give your place to this man,’

LK 14:9