Follow Me

 

  Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

26 June 2022 

 

First Reading: 1 Kgs 19:16b, 19-21

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 16:1-2, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Second Reading: Gal 5:1, 13-18

Gospel: Lk 9:51-62

 

Reflection

By: Fely Santiago

 

"Speak, Lord, your servant is listening; you have the words of everlasting life."

"Trust and obey, there's no other way." I fondly remember my late Papa with these words that he often said. He is a man of Christ. I got my spirituality from him. My Papa was a very prayerful man. And these words have also become my guiding principle in my spiritual journey. I always prefer to go where the Lord leads me because in God we can have everything. This is His promise in Matthew 6:33 "seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you."

How often do you listen to the Lord? Mostly, we come to God asking for favors. Let us also spend time in prayers just to be in God's presence and let our hearts respond to His love. Also, listen to what God may be trying to tell us and from there, we might know the answer to our prayers. Prayer is a conversation with God. It requires talking and listening. May we learn to be still and listen in our prayers, and imagine Jesus sitting beside us. I would love to picture myself in my prayer time with my head on His lap. I picture the gentleness in His eyes and the smile full of love as He gazes on me. I can be totally honest with Jesus as I tell Him of my worries and my cares. I open up my heart to Him as I tell Him of my fears and doubts. Then, I ask Him to help me to place myself fully in His care, to abandon myself to Him, knowing that He always wants what is best for me. And most importantly, I listen to His response. He often tells of how much He loves me and encourages me to put my trust fully in Him. "Magtiwala ka lang."

God wants us to experience real freedom if we put our trust and obey Him. What most often stops us from achieving freedom is our tendency to be caught up in fears and expectations about what we 'ought' or 'should' be. Our usual automatic responses tie us down and inhibit us from exploring new areas of growth. Let's ask and pray for a greater sense of inner freedom and that we might preach the fresh and challenging possibilities that God wishes us to realize. Our God is a BIG God and with Him are limitless possibilities.

Prayer

Lord, I ask for the grace to know that doing Your will is a joy because Your will is my deepest desire and You are always willing what is best for me. Thank You for the gift of freedom Lord. Grant that I may always choose to follow You. Keep me ever mindful of Your ways, of Your love and concern for all people. May I respond to Your call today. Teach me to recognize Your hand at work in my daily living. All this I pray, in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

Why Cause Grief?

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Feb 16
First reading Ecclesiasticus 15:16-21

If you wish, you can keep the commandments,

  to behave faithfully is within your power.

He has set fire and water before you;

  put out your hand to whichever you prefer.

Man has life and death before him;

  whichever a man likes better will be given him.

For vast is the wisdom of the Lord;

  he is almighty and all-seeing.

His eyes are on those who fear him,

  he notes every action of man.

He never commanded anyone to be godless,

  he has given no one permission to sin.

Psalm                                                                            Psalm 118:1-2,4-5,17-18,33-34
Second reading                                                        1 Corinthians 2:6-10

We have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age, which are coming to their end. The hidden wisdom of God which we teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began. It is a wisdom that none of the masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.

  These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths of God.

Gospel                                                                         Matthew 5:17-37

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not imagine that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth disappear, not one dot, not one little stroke, shall disappear from the Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

  ‘For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.

  ‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill; and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have paid the last penny.

  ‘You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body go to hell.

  ‘It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a writ of dismissal. But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife, except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

  ‘Again, you have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not break your oath, but must fulfil your oaths to the Lord. But I say this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the evil one.’

Reflection by Rosalinda Markell

The relationship between spiritual leaders and followers can sometimes become troubled. Jesus was very aware of this reality which is why in today's Gospel, He challenged His followers to cultivate a virtue deeper than that of the Pharisees and scribes.  It is unfortunate that these Jewish spiritual leaders did not live up to God's and men's expectation of them.  Jesus was quite blunt to call them hypocrites and blind guides. In another chapter of St Matthew's Gospel, He told people to do what these leaders teach them to do, but not what they do (Mt 23:3). 

Until now, we could still hear or even witness scandals caused by spiritual leaders.  Some of us lose heart that we generalize all spiritual leaders to be bad. Maintaining a cooperative spirit is necessary in order to benefit from those who provide spiritual direction to us. Our first response should be prayerful submission: "obey those who rule over you, and be submissive" (Heb 13-17).  For both leaders and followers, an attitude of mutual submission should prevail: "We are to (submit) to one another in fear of God."  (Eph 5:21). Lest leaders abuse such obedience, Jesus emphasized a heart of servant leadership to those who provide us with direction; "most assured by, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor he who is sent greater than He who sent him." (Jn 13:16). 

Let's ask the Holy Spirit to grant healing to those of us who have been hurt by our leaders' impropriety. Let's also pray for a change of heart to those who have caused grief to their flock.

Prayer

Our gracious Father, thank You for the people You have called to lead our Church. Protect them from errors in both words and actions so that they may lead Your people to the truth. May we provide them encouragement and support. Bless too our government, the leaders of our country, that they may be trustworthy instruments in bringing good to society, not war, envy, greediness, and most of all evil. Give them wisdom, an insight beyond the scope of partisan interests. Maintain peace and increase righteousness throughout the land now and for always. This we beg of You, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen.