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Reflections on Today’s Gospel

First Published: 2024 December 15

Draft 1

It may have taken 6 years, but I’m finally reflecting on the same Sunday Gospel more than once. While reading today, the two things that most struck me were the fact that the first paragraph of the gospel was almost entirely secular advice, and the second half was almost entirely spiritual. I know that the distinction is not necessarily true, but an atheist should take no issue with anything in the first paragraph.

My other major takeaway was the wheat and the chaff. Since fire was used in reference both to baptism and the burning of the chaff, I read it as saying that we are the wheat whose chaff is being burned off. Chaff, as we all know, is not something independent of wheat. It is the outer covering, which we remove because we don’t want it. Likewise, the sin in us is the chaff that we need to not just separate from, but burn away entirely through the healing power of Christ.

I’m really fatigued today, so that’s all I have, other than a quick look to see what has changed in the past six years.

Ooh! I focused on the fact that it was Advent, and mentioned that we should focus more on the joy aspect of the faith. That’s still true, but it’s interesting how my takeaways have changed through the years.

Goals:


  1. Ave Maria and Salve Regina