REFLECTIONS TODAY
Reading through the context of Jesus’ saying, we can hear a note of near desperation as he shakes the stance of the scribes and Pharisees, his principal critics (Lk 7:29-30). They act like ambivalent, immature children in their attitude towards John the Baptist and Jesus.
The first they judge as “possessed” for his extreme asceticism, the latter they see as a glutton and drunkard for his “overfeasting,” especially with tax collectors and sinners. If only his detractors could take time and look more profoundly into the “fruits” of the lives of John and Jesus, they would see that both come from God.
The integrity of their lives speak for themselves. Jesus challenges his hearers to overcome superficiality and look at things and people more deeply.
In doing so, they will gain wisdom and discern better where God is present and towards where he is moving.
Today, we invoke God’s forgiveness for the harsh way we judge others because of their personal style and demeanor.
Let us implore him for the gift of wisdom so as to be able to discern rightly the identity of persons and the meaning of our life situations.
First Reading • 1 Cor 12:31—13:13
Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth.
It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.
For we know partially and we prophesy partially, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face.
At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Gospel • Luke 7:31-35
Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’
For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024.” E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.