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Manila Bulletin devider Opinion devider Rejoice and leap for joy

Rejoice and leap for joy

Published Sep 12, 2023 04:10 pm

REFLECTIONS TODAY

Gird your loins

Jesus encourages his disciples to rejoice when they are afflicted. When they feel so poor and cannot afford comfort because they cannot find a decent job, or when they feel hungry because they can hardly find time to eat because they are busy responding to many needs, or when they cry in solidarity with the people treated unjustly, or when they are hated because they do not compromise their principles—they should rejoice. These deprivations have nothing to do with laziness, or being irresponsible, or with lack of planning and prioritizing. Jesus does not encourage people to stop working. To follow the teachings of Christ, one must be ready to suffer and, at the same time, must not lose his or her ability to rejoice. One should not be jealous of those who are apparently better off, enjoying life and well accepted by the people.

 

First Reading • Col 3:1-11

Brothers and sisters: If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory. 
Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. By these you too once conducted yourselves, when you lived in that way. But now you must put them all away: anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths. Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all.
 

Gospel • Luke 6:20-26 

Raising his eyes toward his disciples, Jesus said: 

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Blessed are you who are now hungry, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who are now weeping, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man. 
 

“Rejoice and leap for joy on that day! Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophets in the same way. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. But woe to you who are filled now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will grieve and weep. Woe to you when all speak well of you, for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.”


Source: “365 Days with the Lord 2023,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.

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