Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Tuesday of the 22nd week in ordinary time, September 1, 2026.
The theme for our meditation today is: Spiritual Person. There were several non-Catholic students who took part in a spiritual pilgrimage to a remote island in the east Indonesia. There in that island, all the pilgrimage sites belong to the Catholic faith and devotion. Even though those non-Catholic students felt themselves out of context, they were confident and happy to join all the activities of the group. Of course, the non-Catholics asked many questions about the Catholic faith, and this was just normal and nothing to be worried about. What made it difficult was too many questions raised, then the Catholics would find it difficult to answer all the questions.
Finally, rather than having uncomfortable feelings between them and dissatisfaction for the many unanswered questions, a non-Catholic young student spoke up as he said the following: "We are aware that as human beings who lack some spiritual qualities, we recognize that our perspective about the Catholic faith is very limited". With this humble self-acknowledgment, the anxiety and feeling discomfort gradually diminished and the non-Catholics were able to follow the entire pilgrimage activities in peace and joyful participation.
Honestly speaking, we need to admit that when we are busy with all our works and undertakings from morning to night, there are so many happenings and situations that make us distracted. This world pushes us to make, to do, to think, and to feel according to its will. This should remind us of the importance of the opportunity for mental examination and awareness that can help us to reflect upon all those happenings. At least, before going to sleep, we take an opportunity to reflect on the day past. Perhaps it reveals that we are less spiritual of that day than to our business in the world.
If the Catholics are required to attend Holy Masses every Sunday, it has a point to be relied upon. They should free themselves from merely having an obligation or being motivated by other hidden or untrue motivations. The real motivation is certainly the resolution to always renew themselves, so that the spiritual person maybe created in every one of them who will receive Christ, and eventually live with Christ. This is what we mean by the spiritual person that today Saint Paul emphasizes in the first reading of our liturgy, the first letter to the Corinthians (2,10b-16).
Every follower of Christ should aspire to become a spiritual person with Jesus who lives in him or her. Through sufficient spiritual richness, we can do great things like Jesus Christ, among other things, to drive out evil spirits that always threaten our lives. The spiritual persons with adequate spiritual qualities have their fragrance and light that attract others to come to them, then they together strive for the development in their spiritual lives. Although the evil spirits who might show-off in whatever manner, they already notice right away that the quality of spiritual persons is far superior and powerful than their evil forces.
Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O God, strengthen our faith so that we can fight against all the evil forces around us. Hail Mary, full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...
