GOOD NEWS?

“Blessed is he who takes no offense at Me.” –Luke 7:23, RSV-CE

In today’s culture, people are quick to take offense. Here are some aspects of Jesus’ teaching likely to offend the modern ear:

• the Church’s teaching on chastity and sexual purity, including no divorce and no birth control (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1650, 2370),
• showing mercy to offenders (Lk 15:22-32),
• forgiving those at whom you take offense, even abusive people (see Prv 19:11),
• denying your very self (Lk 9:23),
• the simple and uneducated being more blessed than the wise,
• poverty blessed rather than riches (Mt 5:3; Lk 6:20),
• serving, rather than being served (Mt 20:28),
• not DIY (do it yourself), but rather “let it be done” (Lk 1:38),
• only a nation under God will be firm (Is 26:1-3),
• Jesus is the only name by which man can be saved (Jn 15:5; Acts 4:12), for salvation comes through Jesus dying on the cross, not through self-help and strength,
• fasting and tithing, and
• the humble shall lead.

For many, the Gospel is not the Good News, but the bad news. They think it means stifling rules rather than freedom, foolishness rather than wisdom (see 1 Cor 1:18). If you were at a party and these topics came up in the course of conversation, would you be ashamed of the Gospel? (Rm 1:16) Repent and believe in the Gospel, for it is the power of God leading to salvation (Rm 1:16).

PRAYER: Father, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done” (Mt 6:10). May I lay down my life for the Gospel.
PROMISE: “Only in the Lord are just deeds and power.” –Is 45:24
PRAISE: St. John of the Cross is a Doctor of the Church. “I determined that while I was with you I would speak of nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2).