Turn away not

Author: Chrisma C. Bangaoil
Turning away from sin and its false comforts
Reflection Date: October 18, 2024 Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time 
Feast of Saint Luke, evangelist
Daily Readings: 2 Timothy 4:10-17; Luke 10:1-9

Will you turn your back on Christ for the world, or will you welcome Him into your heart? While it’s easy to say “no” to the first and “yes” to the second, does our life truly reflect these answers?

We turn away from Christ when we ignore the pleas of others, overlook their needs, or choose convenience and self-interest over His will. Each time we justify same-sex relationships or premarital sex in the name of love, skip Mass for the sake of work, steal out of urgency, or cheat and sell our votes because “everyone else is doing it,” we close our hearts to Jesus.

Every day, the Lord calls us in different ways, inviting us to a mission. Sometimes this mission asks us to reach out to strangers, while other times it involves those closest to us. 

Often, the mission can be difficult, and we may face rejection, criticism, or even condemnation. But the Lord assures us that He is always by our side, waiting for us to say “yes” to His call.

Call to Action for Catholic Living: Welcoming Christ into our lives means embracing the mission He entrusts to us, turning away from the sinful ways of the world, and letting go of its false comforts.