The gospel for Friday of the 29th week in Ordinary Time is taken from Luke 12:54, 59th verse. Jesus said to the crowds, when you see a cloud rising in the west, you say immediately that it is going to rain. And so it does. And when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south, you say that it is going to be hot. And so it is. You hypocrites, you know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky.

Why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way. Otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the constable, and the constable will throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny. The gospel calls us to live a reflective life, to look at things clearly and see the direction that we’ve chosen, where it’s going to lead us.

What he’s saying to the crowds is so interesting because he’s saying, don’t you realize that you know how to read signs? And yet you’re not looking at what’s going on. You’re not looking at me, a servant who’s come to save you and heal you, and I’m being destroyed by the temple. Don’t you notice it? Don’t you see what that means? Pay attention.

That’s the important thing. Sa Satan Sam Foreign Closing Prayer Father, we pray for discernment, for a way to understand fully who we are and what we’re doing. Bless us with this wisdom so that we can make sure that the choices that we are choosing are going to bring us life and not death. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen.