Tuesday 15 October 2024

Today is Tuesday the 15th of October, the feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus of Avila, in the 28th week of Ordinary Time. The nuns of Mary, Queen of Apostles, sing the hymn Jesu dulcis memoria. Sweet is the very thought of Jesus; giving true joy to the heart. But sweeter than the sweetest honey, is his very Presence. Jesu, dulcis memoria, Dans vera cordis gaudia: Sed super mel et omnia Ejus dulcis praesentia. Nil canitur suavius, Nil auditur jucundius, Nil cogitatur dulcius, Quam Jesus Dei Filius. Jesu, spes paenitentibus, Quam pius es petentibus! Quam bonus te quaerentibus! Sed quid invenientibus? Nec lingua valet dicere, Nec littera exprimere: Expertus potest credere, Quid sit Jesum diligere. Sis, Jesu, nostrum gaudium, Qui es futurus praemium Sit nostra in te gloria, Per cuncta semper saecula. Amen. Jesus, the very thought of Thee, With sweetness fills my breast; But sweeter far Thy Face to see And in Thy presence rest. Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame, Nor can the memory find A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name, O Saviour of mankind! O Hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek, To those who fall, how kind Thou art, How good to those who seek. My tongue and words cannot express, Their usefulness is low But having felt is to believe, sweet Jesus' love to know. Jesus, our only joy be Thou, As Thou our prize wilt be; O Jesus, be our glory now And through eternity. Amen. Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Luke. Luke 11:37-41 While [Jesus] was speaking, a Pharisee invited him to dine with him; so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not first wash before dinner. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? So give for alms those things that are within; and see, everything will be clean for you. So often in Jesus’ life and ministry a meal was the occasion for actions or words that shook his audience from their complacency. The Pharisee is shocked by Jesus bypassing religious observance, but he in turn challenges the Pharisee to true inner conversion. How does this reading challenge you? How do you experience the difference between the ‘outside and inside’ to which Jesus is referring? What do you understand by his words about ‘giving for alms those things that are within’? Is there something within you that you would want to offer God, or ask God to heal or change? As you listen to the reading again, listen out for words or images that strike you. What are they saying to you at this time? Today is the feast of Teresa of Avila, a mystic who wrote about finding God ‘among the pots and pans’. Whether you have had elevated or very ordinary thoughts in response to today’s reading, take time now to speak to God, asking for the graces you need or giving voice to whatever feelings arise in your heart. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.