One day Elisha was passing through Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to have a meal. So whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for a meal. 9 She said to her husband, “Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let us make a small roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that he can stay there whenever he comes to us.”
One day when he came there, he went up to the chamber and lay down there. He said, “What then may be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood at the door. He said, “At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.” She replied, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not deceive your servant.”
My brethren, Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
One day when he came there, he went up to the chamber and lay down there. He said, “What then may be done for her?” Gehazi answered, “Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.” He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood at the door. He said, “At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.” She replied, “No, my lord, O man of God; do not deceive your servant.”
Second reading Romans 6:3-4, 8-11
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up he cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
Reflection
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”
Reflection
By Carlo Alexis R. Malaluan
As a seminarian, I am always asked with the question: Why did you leave all these things? Imagine, I have a stable relationship. I am waiting for a good-paying job after earning my degree in college. I have a supportive family. My life dreams are only a stone-throw away. But I chose a life of selfless giving. Was it suicidal?
It is clear that if we are going to walk with Jesus, we have a price to pay. Suffering and sacrifice is not a secret and are essential part of the journey. Christ teaches us that that is the way to life and freedom in the scheme of the Gospel. The discipleship of Jesus enriches and expands our vision and horizons. When Jesus demands something from us, He is not asking for a masochistic and suicidal act instead we are invited beyond the surface, outside the narrow limits of our selfishness. We are called to enter into the depths of life where we meet the wonders of God’s love in the ordinary flow of life.
It is clear. The sacrifice and reflection leads to the transformation of our lives. This sacrificial effort opens up how we relate to other people, how we face the challenging world of suffering as we neglect our indulgent lifestyle.
We are not called to the road of self-destruction. When Christ asked something from us, He didn’t meant we are forced to become empty. We are invited to a life of self-giving. As we leave behind our small fortunes, God has now the space to fill our cups with enormous blessings we cannot imagine.
As a seminarian, I am always asked with the question: Why did you leave all these things? Imagine, I have a stable relationship. I am waiting for a good-paying job after earning my degree in college. I have a supportive family. My life dreams are only a stone-throw away. But I chose a life of selfless giving. Was it suicidal?
It is clear that if we are going to walk with Jesus, we have a price to pay. Suffering and sacrifice is not a secret and are essential part of the journey. Christ teaches us that that is the way to life and freedom in the scheme of the Gospel. The discipleship of Jesus enriches and expands our vision and horizons. When Jesus demands something from us, He is not asking for a masochistic and suicidal act instead we are invited beyond the surface, outside the narrow limits of our selfishness. We are called to enter into the depths of life where we meet the wonders of God’s love in the ordinary flow of life.
It is clear. The sacrifice and reflection leads to the transformation of our lives. This sacrificial effort opens up how we relate to other people, how we face the challenging world of suffering as we neglect our indulgent lifestyle.
We are not called to the road of self-destruction. When Christ asked something from us, He didn’t meant we are forced to become empty. We are invited to a life of self-giving. As we leave behind our small fortunes, God has now the space to fill our cups with enormous blessings we cannot imagine.
Prayer
O CHRIST IN THE CROSS! You have given up Yourself on that wooden pedestal of love. Teach me by Your example to give my life in every moment. Allow me to follow You by forgetting myself and by thinking of the good of others. Amen.
O CHRIST IN THE CROSS! You have given up Yourself on that wooden pedestal of love. Teach me by Your example to give my life in every moment. Allow me to follow You by forgetting myself and by thinking of the good of others. Amen.
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