Weekly Reflection - 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time

"Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Cor. 15:55)

This is the 8th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  St. Paul invites us to reflect deeply on Christ's victory over death and what it means for us.  Ash Wednesday is next week and we will be reminded again that we are dust and unto dust we shall return.  Fear of death is a natural reaction.  Without faith it will just be the moment that all the unrelated events of our life will come to an end.

For the Christian however, death is a victory.  "Consummatum Est" was Christ's report to the Father:  Mission Accomplished.  We have each received a mission from birth and given a certain amount of time to fulfill it.  There should always be an urgency in our lives to make sure we will end it with the fruit that God expects.  This Lent, let us especially examine ourselves on the capital sin of sloth and the use of the precious time God has given us.  Let us also pray for peace in the Ukraine and the world.

Questions for Reflection: 

• Am I aware that God has entrusted me with a mission and a certain amount of time to fulfill it? 
• Do I employ my time accordingly? 
• When I go through hard moments, am I encouraged and given strength by Christ's example of perseverance to the end?