Preserve Life
Friday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time
Read this Gospel passage aloud to the family
Luke 17:26-37- Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, someone who is on the housetop and whose belongings are in the house must not go down to get them, and likewise one in the field must not return to what was left behind. Remember the wife of Lot. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it. I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken, the other left. And there will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken, the other left." They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the body is, there also the vultures will gather."
(Parent) Reread this part a few times aloud
“Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it will save it.”
(Parent) Read this meditation aloud to the family
Today, Jesus compares two lifestyles from which we may choose: a life where we are the master, and a life where God is the master. We all have this choice, and we are free to decide. Jesus wants to warn us about the danger of choosing to be our own masters, though. There will come a time when each of us will face the end of our life on earth. Jesus often speaks about the end of time and about the reality of death. He points out that the end can come suddenly, and we won’t be able to stop it.
It is not wise to wait until we are old to nourish our faith. One, death might come suddenly and we don’t make it until we are old. Two, a long life lived for many years without growing in our faith will be very difficult to change quickly in the end. The Holy Spirit says with St. Paul, “…now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).[MOU1] [MD2] He says now, today. He does not say later, tomorrow.
As a family, pray a portion of the Rosary together (very short if children are young) reflecting on the Scripture passage above.(Optional: allow a brief time for discussion or questions from children concerning their thoughts and prayer.)
Reminder for Parents: Pier is just meant to be a jumping off point. The real goal is that you pray & eventually use the fruits of your personal prayer as the content of your family’s prayer. Duc in altum.
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