There is a saying that there are only two kinds of people in this world: the sinners and the self-righteous. We must be grateful whenever we realize that we are sinners. There is more hope for sinners than for self-righteous people. The self-righteous are too proud of themselves that they fail to...
Today’s Gospel reiterates the Shema (“Listen!”) passage found in Deuteronomy (6:4-5) and the love of neighbor found in Leviticus (19:18). Jesus puts the love of God and the love of neighbor together. These are inseparable. Toward the end of the passage, Jesus commends the scribe whom he...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Today’s Gospel tells of Jesus driving out a demon. The demon goes out, and the person begins to speak. The passage is silent as to what the healed person speaks about. We can only imagine this person to be very happy that he gives praises to God and begins telling everyone of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Law and the Prophets are two of the three major parts of the Hebrew Bible. These two parts were already established in Jesus’ time and in the time when the New Testament was written. Jesus knew very well the beautiful teachings found in the Law and the Prophets. He practiced...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Matthew 18:21-35 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but 77 times. That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a...
REFLECTIONS TODAY John 4:5-15, 19b-26, 39a, 40-42 [or 4:5-42] Jesus came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came...
REFLECTIONS TODAY True greatness is not measured by worldly power but by humble service. Today’s Gospel reading from Matthew has two parts: the third prediction of Jesus’ passion (vv 17-19) and the request of James and John (vv 20-28), also found in Mark (10:32-34; 35-45). The Matthean account...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Mark 7:1-13 When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus, they observed that some of his disciples ate their meals with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. (For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews, do not eat without carefully...
REFLECTIONS TODAY New Testament references to the prophet Jonah are found in Matthew (12:39-41) and Luke (11:29-30). The one in Matthew prefigures Jesus’ death and, implicitly, Jesus’ resurrection. The one in Luke is part of today’s Gospel reading. It conveys the message that as Jonah became...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Fasting is the inevitable response to a grievous sacred moment in life, such as death, sin, and tragedy. When one is moved to tears by grief, one loses the urge to eat. Fasting helps people to express grief over their sins and their seriousness in returning to the path of godly...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Authentic piety is the springboard of righteousness. For the Jews, “righteous deeds” are expressed in the three pillars of piety: prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. In many ways, piety and morality go hand in hand. The angel Raphael declares to Tobit and his household, “Prayer...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Discipleship is essentially diakonia or service down to the lowliest ones: the children. The stance of genuine service comes from treating each one as equal. In the Jewish society where children are considered as having no social status until they reach adulthood, Jesus shows his...
