This week's readings Week of October 6 - 12 Sunday, Oct. 6, 2002 Reading I: Is 5:1-7 Reading II: Phil 4:6-9 Gospel: Mt 21:33-43 Monday, Oct. 7, 2002 Reading I: Gal 1:6-12 Gospel: Lk 10:25-37 Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2002 Reading I: Gal 1:13-24 Gospel: Lk 10:38-42 Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2002 Reading I: Gal 2:1-2, 7-14 Gospel: Lk 11:1-4 Thursday, Oct. 10, 2002 Reading I: Gal 3:1-5 Gospel: Lk 11:5-13 Friday, Oct. 11, 2002 Reading I: Gal 3:7-14 Gospel: Lk 11:15-26 Saturday, Oct. 12, 2002 Reading I: Gal 3:22-29 Gospel: Lk 11:27-28 Pope's Prayer Intentions October General Intention That parishes and catechists may work together for the new evangelization: That catechists may have the prayers and collaboration of their parish communities for the successful accomplishment of the new evangelization. October Mission Intention That proclaimers of the word teach Christ's love for the poor: That missionaries, priests, religious, and the laity courageously teach Jesus Christ's love for the poor.

Violence:
Christ teaches it is never the answer

		Word of God  Word of Life  Fr. John G. Stillmank

The parable of Jesus about the landowner whose tenants resort to violence against his servants, ultimately killing his son, is a parable of our times.

There is so much violence in the world today. So many people respond to the situations in their lives with violence. So many nations promote violence against their citizens and between nations as a solution to domestic or international problems. Even in the home, the vileness of violence is used.

"It's all too easy to place blame everywhere and anywhere - when often we must examine our heart, our conscience, and admit that the violence there, and in our own home, town, state, and nation also cries out for reform."

Sometimes that violence takes the form of weapons whose terrible power could annihilate the world, or whose deadly poisons would kill millions or billions of people.

Sometimes that violence takes the form of physical abuse against the weak or powerless. Sometimes that violence takes the form of angry words, vicious lies, false accusations. Sometimes that violence snuffs out life at its beginning, or smothers it near its end.

Sometimes that violence merely resides in our hearts, seething there, harming ourselves more than any other.

Readings for 27th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Oct. 6) Isaiah 5:1-7 Psalm 80:9, 12, 13-14, 15-16, 19-20 Philippians 4:6-9 Matthew 21:33-43

Violence, the Church teaches, is never the answer. The peace of Christ answers the questions which the human heart asks, as a violent and hateful response can never do.

Closely allied to that violence against the landowners' servants - whom we recognize as the prophets - and his son - whom we recognize as the Christ - is greed, or anger, or pride, or any other emotion of the heart or thought of the mind or desire of the will.

Sometimes the greed of a few pushes others towards violence as the way to solve the problem of an unjust distribution of the world's resources.

Sometimes anger in our hearts for a perceived injustice pushes us beyond our sane selves to resort to violence for revenge. Sometimes pride or emotion or thought or desire pushes aside a reasoned response and we reach out violently to solve our problems.

Never the answer, Jesus says. A people which resorts to violence and which does not produce a fruitful harvest will lose its way quickly.

Today it's easy to point to terrorists, and shout "they're the problem!" Or to point to other people or other nations, and cry "it's their fault!" It's all too easy to place blame everywhere and anywhere - when often we must examine our heart, our conscience, and admit that the violence there, and in our own home, town, state, and nation also cries out for reform.

"Have no anxiety," teaches Saint Paul, but "make your requests known to God. His peace surpasses all understanding, and will replace anger, hatred, greed, pride, and violence within us with "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious."

Then we can become a people whose sole boast is in the Cross of Christ, and whose sole joy is in the peace which only he can give.

Fr. John G. Stillmank is Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Madison and pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Verona, and St. William Parish, Paoli.