Today is Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time. We has that short spell of Ordinary Time between Christmas and Lent. We pick up today Reading the Second Letter of St. Peter, a kind of farewell testimonial to the Christians.
In today’s reading he provides us with a list of virtues that Christians must have. He begins with faith and ends with love (agape). But in between he lists six other virtues all Christians must have
excellence αρετη - from the word for “better”, a sense of always striving to move forward toward perfection
knowledge γνοτις for Christians specifically knowledge of God
self-control εγκράτεια Literally internal power
Patient endurance υπομονή
devotion/godliness ευσέβεια Literally Good worship
mutual affection/ affection for other Φιλαδέλφεια Philadelphia - love of other not love of self
Not a bad list to keep handy as we put on the worn green vestments and go out to face the particular challenges of so-called “ordinary time” in 2020.
