Powered by Blogger.

Sunday 28 August 2016

Mug Shots

   Twenty-First Sunday of 
         Ordinary Time
         August 28, 2016
First Reading:  Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

My child, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.  The greater you are, the more humbly you should behave, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble. For the disease of the proud there is no cure, since an evil growth has taken root there. The heart of the sensible will reflect on parables, an attentive ear is the sage's dream.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11


Second Reading: Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or gloom or total darkness, or a storm; or trumpet-blast or the sound of a voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more should be said to them.

But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church of first-born sons, enrolled as citizens of heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and to the spirits of the upright who have been made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to purifying blood which pleads more insistently than Abel's.

 Gospel:  Luke 14:1, 7-14

Now it happened that on a Sabbath day he had gone to share a meal in the house of one of the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour. He said this,  'When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and say, "Give up your place to this man." And then, to your embarrassment, you will have to go and take the lowest place.

Reflections:
by Gary Tulabut

When they are all working properly, we only have three microphones in our prayer meetings. Sometimes when only one works, it is shared by the worship leader, prayer leader, and the music ministry.

Our borrowed projector is slowly showing signs of wear and tear as the usual snow-like white patterns common to old projectors start to cover portions of the projected screen. We use borrowed mini-component as our sound system and borrowed laptops for the media operations.

That’s how we have been operating for more than a year now. And so the council decided it’s time to raise funds for these pieces of equipment.

Among the ideas that came up in our fund-raising meetings were the usual solicitations, sponsorships and selling promotional stuff such as t-shirts, fans, mugs and the like. The first and the easiest to produce among our merchandise are the coffee mugs. These mugs had beautiful designs. Thanks to that wonderful artist who wants to remain anonymous. Let us just call him Gary T. (LOL.)

Our brothers and sisters in the community were excited to sell these beautiful mugs, each priced at P150.

One of our brothers who also teaches in the same school I teach brought one in school to try his sales pitch at some co-faculty members. While delivering his short speech to one colleague, one eavesdropper suddenly interrupted and lambasted him and the mug, saying that it was so expensive, that a mug like that can be bought at a much cheaper price, and so on. This brother maintained his composure, controlled his temper, and remained humble. (He’s a Philo major, by the way, and situations like these are nothing compared to many others he has already dealt with.) But even before he was able to open his mouth to explain, the prof who the brother was initially talking to reprimanded the interrupter saying, “What’s wrong with you? Are you sick? This is a fund-raising campaign and for a good cause.”

And that’s all that was needed to call the attention of the other professors and one by one they said, “I’ll get one.” “Me too.” “Me too.”

Humility works in mysterious ways. God works in mysterious ways.

PRAYER:

Father, Thank You for showing us what humility can do in these times when people have become opinionated. May we always be humble in our ways so that the world will see You in us. Amen.



 

No comments:

Post a Comment

Tell us what you feel...

Followers

  ©Shiny by Ourblogtemplates.com 2008

Back to TOP