Rich or Poor, We Are All Welcome in God's Presence

12th Sunday in Ordinary Time
20 June 2010


We are God’s people, the sheep of his flock: come, let us worship him, alleluia.

First reading Zechariah 12:10-11,13:1
It is the Lord who speaks: ‘Over the House of David and the citizens of Jerusalem I will pour out a spirit of kindness and prayer. They will look on the one whom they have pierced; they will mourn for him as for an only son, and weep for him as people weep for a first-born child. When that day comes, there will be great mourning in Judah, like the mourning of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. When that day comes, a fountain will be opened for the House of David and the citizens of Jerusalem, for sin and impurity.’

Psalm or canticle: Psalm 62:2-6,8-9

Second reading Galatians 3:26-29
You are, all of you, sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. All baptised in Christ, you have all clothed yourselves in Christ, and there are no more distinctions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, but all of you are one in Christ Jesus. Merely by belonging to Christ you are the posterity of Abraham, the heirs he was promised.

Gospel Luke 9:18-24
One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say I am?’ And they answered, ‘John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life.’ ‘But you,’ he said ‘who do you say I am?’ It was Peter who spoke up. ‘The Christ of God’ he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.
‘The Son of Man’ he said ‘is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.’
Then to all he said, ‘If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it.’

Reflection
By Rose Guevarra Markell

After a few years of being here in the United States, I attended a seminar for care-givers as I was a care-giver for elderly people. In that seminar, there were different sects such as Christians and others and it happened to be a Lent season. I was one of the Catholic attendees, but the only Filipina in the group.

The topic was about the elders, most specially those in wheelchairs. It was also discussed where these people should be and someone said that they should have their own pathway in church as not to be on the way of other parishioners or rather they should just stay at home. There was also a debate about the poor not being properly dressed when they come to church.

When it was my time to speak, I told them that from the country where I came from which is the Philippines, anybody can come to church at anytime, as our church is always open. And it is open for everyone, rich or poor. We believe that our God is a God who doesn't look at what we are or how we are dressed (as long as decently when in church). And if some of our parishioners can't come to church for some reasons like too weak and sick, or ashamed to come as they have nothing good to wear, our church goes to them, talks to them. We have deacons who go out to communities to give communion to the people who are very sick and can't make it to church.

We are all children of God through faith and baptism. We are not so different from each other. All of us are one in Christ Jesus. And because we all belong to Christ, we all are to inherit God's promise no matter if we are poor or rich, bound to a wheelchair or have strong legs.

Lord, please enlighten us with Your Holy Spirit. Help us to be more compassionate, most specially to the aged and the children. May we be of good example to them. Please forgive our tresspasses and may we be a light to others, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Next on God-speak
Destroy Not