Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time (August 11, 2019)

Today’s readings call us to be faithful servants of Our Lord. This is a theme that weaves constantly throughout the writings of St. Francis de Sales:

Scripture tells us to hold fast to what we have. Yet, we are like coral, which in the sea is easily bent. Since we are still in the sea of this world, we are liable to be bent on every side—on one side by divine love, on the other side by empty but seeming goods.

Apparent goods, like little foxes, destroy our vineyard. On the other hand, divine love urges us to make our heart fertile with good works. Thus, we must put our mind to the practice of holy love so those apparent goods will not influence us. God does not will to keep us from being attacked by false goods. Rather, God wills that we practice more fully sacred love through resistance of these false goods. God desires that by combat we may gain victory, and that by victory we may obtain triumph.

There are always some false goods such as wealth and honors that arouse avarice in our eyes. If we keep our faith attentive to God’s Word, it can distinguish between true goods that we must seek and false goods that we must reject. Our vigilant faith will raise alarm at any false good, however attractive it might appear. Divine love will immediately reject the false, for our faith can make us see true eternal things.

Let us all belong to God in the midst of so much busyness brought on by the diversity of worldly things. Where could we give better witness to our fidelity than in the midst of things going wrong? Difficulties give us an opportunity to practice virtue and trust in God who desires to help us, if we but ask for assistance. How happy we shall be if we travel through life and leave the arms of Our Lord only to walk and do what we can in the practice of virtue and good works, always holding to the hand of Our Savior!

(Adapted from the writings of Saint Francis de Sales)