November 15 2020 - St. Albert the Great - Joining Wisdom to Divine Faith

As we near the end of Ordinary Time, our readings from the Gospel of Luke near Jesus’ arrival to Jerusalem, the end and culmination of his earthly ministry. The Lord’s teachings grow more and more dire, urging his disciples to prepare their souls for the end of their own lives.

In today’s passage, the Lord warns us to be ever vigilant against becoming too focused over earthly pursuits.  Eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, and building aren’t bad in themselves, of course, in fact, they are necessary for maintaining earthly life. However, if we become too overly focused on them, and forget that our ultimate purpose is to serve God and to seek the kingdom of God, then Our Lord says that the consequences will be as dire for us as they were for the people of Noah’s time who perished in the flood or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who were destroyed by fire and brimstone.

Of course, our Lord is alluding to the eternal punishment of hell for those who live only for this world and neglect the call to holiness through faith.

Similarly, the passage from the book of Wisdom speaks of how it is foolishness to become enamored by the things of creation, as beautiful as they are, while neglecting the author of creation, who is the source of their beauty. The foolish become distracted, wisdom says, by earthly things while neglecting the most important thing, their relationship with God. That which distracts us puts our souls in danger, and yet, we foolishly return over and over again to the distraction.

Rather than foolishness, we are to live wisely, putting things in their proper order, seeking first the kingdom of God, seeing distractions for what they are, engaging in the works of the earth only as a means to achieving our ultimate purpose, life with God.

Today, we honor one of the great saints of the middle ages, Saint Albert the Great, who was the teacher of the greatest theologian of the time, St. Thomas Aquinas. The Collect for his feast speaks of how God made Albert great through his joining of wisdom and divine faith.

What made Albert Great? He wisely put his life in order, he had his priorities straight. He put God first, he put his tremendous intellectual gifts at the service of the kingdom. He sought to love and serve the Lord with his whole mind, heart, soul, and strength. May we do the same, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That Pope Francis and all bishops and clergy will help defend the Church against error, and lead her members always in the pathways of truth, righteousness, and charity.

For the conversion of all those who perpetuate error or set bad Christian example for young people and those of weak faith.

That Christians may be fortified against the distractions and temptations of the world and work diligently for the spread of the Gospel.

For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.

For all who have died, for those whose names are written in our parish necrology and all the deceased members of our parish, for deceased clergy and religious, and for all the poor souls in purgatory for whom we pray in a special way during the month of November, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord