Rejoice and welcome a person from being lost

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 15:1-10

Tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."So to them he addressed this parable."What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it?And when he does find it, he sets it on his shoulders with great joy and, upon his arrival home, he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'I tell you, in just the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance."Or what woman having ten coins and losing one would not light a lamp and sweep the house, searching carefully until she finds it?And when she does find it, she calls together her friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.'In just the same way, I tell you, there will be rejoicing among the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Reflection:

whatever we have lost we always tend to find it. Jesus in this Gospel tells us the comparison of lost person to a lost coin and a lost sheep. He compared the lost person to the lost coin and sheep because almost everyone would be happy if you loose and find a coin and a sheep. A lost coin will give value to a million peso because if you loose one it is no longer a million peso. That is why you will rejoice if you loose and find the lost one. We will never get envy if we will welcome a lost person from our community or our family who happens to have lost himself to sinfulness. We must be happy to welcome them and rejoice so our family and community would be complete.

Never give an excuse of God's invitation

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 14:15-24

One of those at table with Jesus said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God."He replied to him, "A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, 'Come, everything is now ready.'But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, 'I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.'And another said, 'I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.'And another said, 'I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.'The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.'The servant reported, 'Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.'The master then ordered the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled.For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'"

Reflection:

Sometimes we are so busy doing something not to go to the church anymore. Even if what we have done is not so important. Nowadays, even watching tv is already an excused of our obligation to go to the church. We always wanted to have an excuse of God's invitation to eat dinner with Him. Jesus gave us the warning that whoever will not accept God's invitation to his dinner will never taste His dinner anymore. Be sure to have an honest excuse for whatever God invitation, otherwise, we will no longer be invited by God.

The secrets to be blessed

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you (falsely) because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. "

Reflection:

The gospel of Jesus teaches us on how to be blessed. Everyone of us are longing to be blessed by God. Jesus simply told us that in order to be blessed, we have to follow the Eight Beatitudes which are mentioned above. 

The first will be last

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 13,22-30.

Jesus passed through towns and villages, teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them,Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough.After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, 'Lord, open the door for us.' He will say to you in reply, 'I do not know where you are from.'And you will say, 'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'Then he will say to you, 'I do not know where (you) are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!'And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out.And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."

Reflection:

The last sentence of this gospel is very familiar to us. In fact, this particular instance might be experienced by mostly among us. Jesus, in this gospel, teaches us to be humble, especially during the success of our life because life is not permanent. Sometimes we are so low and sometimes we experience the highest point of our life. Jesus emphasised that even if we are first but there are point of our life that we are last. So, be humble for what you are and for what you have.

Glorifying God can be done Anytime

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 13:10-17

Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, "Woman, you are set free of your infirmity."He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, "There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day."The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering?This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?"When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Reflection:

The teaching of Jesus manifest that whenever necessary to cure the sick or anything we wanted to do, can be done anytime. Whatever we do to glorify God can be done anytime. 

Be Vigilant

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:54-59.

Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does;and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot--and so it is.You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison.I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny."

 

Reflection:

 

There are signs of time that are so clear what really happening in the society. Nowadays, lies are so rampant in the social media. Even political leaders directly commit lies right in front of our face. Despite all the lies presented by these leaders, there are still people who will believe in them. There are people who even fight for them despite the fact that lies are so clear. It is up to us to choose whether to be blinded by the truth. We can easily determine the truth and lies because as what Jesus told us such can be determined just like seeing the clouds and predict that the rain is going to come. Let us be observant about the happenings that surrounds us. 

Division as an effect of different beliefs

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:49-53.

Jesus said to his disciples: “I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished!Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three;a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law."

Reflection:

The Gospel of today is quiet confusing. Jesus tells us about the division as an effect of the Gospel. Many of us suffers being excommunicated by family just because of different belief. The one who preach is being the target of this effect. Many of us Christians are being persecuted in several situations. We believe to make good to those who hate us. But if you will always stand for God and for being Christians, God promised us with everlasting joy in heaven. So, we must continue preaching to others by showing to other believers that we are true Christian living with the teachings of Christ.

The Son of Man will come at an unknown day

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:39-48

Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?"And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time?Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,then that servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.That servant who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely;and the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”

Reflection:

We are only steward of what we have in our lifetime. What we have now, be it money or property or most especially, relationship to others are just a responsibility given to us by God during our lifetime. We receive the gift of life because God loves us so much. But that life extends a responsibility of things and relationships that we have. We must take care of all the responsibilities God given to us. We must not abuse it, because as what the parable says, the will come at an unknown time. So, we will always be prepared.

Be prepared for the arrival of the Master

Gospel Reading: Lk 12:35–38

Jesus said to his disciples:  
"Gird your loins and light your lamps 
          and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, 
          ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. 
Blessed are those servants 
          whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. 
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, 
          have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 
And should he come in the second or third watch 
          and find them prepared in this way, 
          blessed are those servants."

Reflection:

Jesus' teaching is so vague because his message is done through a parable. If you will not read between the lines you will surely interpret the parable according to its literal meaning. However, there is a deeper meaning of the parable. We need to be prepared for the coming of God. The coming of God is not also interpreted as literally coming in physical being. We can only see God through our soul. Hence, death of our physical body. We should be prepared on that day because that phenomena so-called death will surely come and you will face the judgement day, the coming of God.

You cannot bring earthly things to heaven

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:13-21

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me."He replied to him, "Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?"Then he said to the crowd, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions."Then he told them a parable. "There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.He asked himself, 'What shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?'And he said, 'This is what I shall do: I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones. There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself, "Now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink, be merry!"But God said to him, 'You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?'Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God."

Reflection:

Human as we are. We intend to accumulate wealth for our needs. However, sometimes the accumulation of wealth is not only for our needs but to feed our greed. Jesus cited a parable which reminds us whatever wealth do we have now cannot be brought to heaven. We cannot bring them to our grave. So, instead of accumulation of wealth, we must share it to others. Share our blessings so that we can enter the kingdom of God.

Whoever is first will be last, whoever is last will be first

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 10:35-45

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."He replied, "What do you wish (me) to do for you?"They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Reflection:

This particular gospel is really applicable to all. Sometimes we work really hard for a certain thing but others get it first than you who have done its best for it. This is so because time and circumstance are not ours. However, wonderful things are given to those who work harder. What Jesus really meant is that it is not him to Judge whoever wants to enter the kingdom of God. It is only the Father who can determine in the last day whoever enters the Kingdom. Jesus gave a clue that if you wanted to enter the Kingdom of God and be great, you have to serve all.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10:1-9.

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.

Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way.

Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.'

If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.

Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another.

Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'"

Reflection:

It is quite puzzling of what really meant for this gospel. What is the meaning of the number seventy-two? Why number seventy-two? Anyways, whatever will be the meaning of that number be that as it may. The most important word of Jesus in the gospel is 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you'. It means the kingdom of God is now in our hands, hence, we should do something about it. We should be laborers of God. We must be the harvester for God. We know that we should serve God by bringing people to God. Bringing them to God means we should spread the gospel by our good deeds and show the people that we love God above all.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:42-46.

The Lord said: "Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others.Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces.Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk."Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, "Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too."And he said, "Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them."

Reflection:

The act of Jesus were not meant to insult us about what we were doing. He reminded us to be serious of what we are doing in the church and to other people. If you do alms giving, do it from the bottom of your heart; if you do tithings, do it because you are responsible for it; if you do worshipping God, do it all for the glory of God. Do not just do it because you wanted to show it for others, so others would believe that you are a good person.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 11:37-41

After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat.The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.The Lord said to him, "Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil.You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you."

Reflection:

Sometimes we are very particular with our cleanliness outside but deep inside us we forget to be cleaned. Jesus statement does not mean we will forget to be cleaned as part of our hygiene. We will maintain our hygiene as this part to maintain healthy, however, we must put importance to our cleanliness inside so that everything will be clean for us.