REFLECTIONS TODAY Lk 9:51-62 When the days for his being taken up were fulfilled, he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and he sent messengers ahead of him. On the way they entered a Samaritan village to prepare for his reception there, but they would not welcome him because the...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Jesus is lost, but it comes out that this is neither Joseph’s nor Mary’s fault. Jesus seems to imply that he has done so voluntary to signify something (v 49). Jesus did so because he is not simply their son. Above all, he is the Father’s Son sent on a mission. But neither...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is being compared to the heart of a shepherd who goes out in search of the stray and the lost and brings them back to the safety of the sheepfold. As shepherd (as the Good Shepherd in John), Jesus guides his flock — the disciples — in the path of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Israelite priesthood is reserved to the sons of Levi, and John, the son of the priest Zechariah, was expected to learn the role and functions of the priest at home and in the Jerusalem Temple. But John grew up in the desert surroundings in tune with his vocation as a prophet of...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Many prophets in the Old Testament served as court prophets in the palaces or sanctuaries of the kings. Some, like Nathan and Gad, proved to be true to their calling, telling King David the oracles they received from God, whether pleasing or unpleasant to the king. Hananiah, on...
REFLECTIONS TODAY “Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.” For Jesus, this “Golden Rule” summarizes the Law and the Prophets, that is, the Sacred Scriptures. This rule is shared by ancient wisdom traditions. Confucius teaches, “Do not do unto others, what you do not want...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Human judgment, even at its best, has its limitations and imperfections. In different cultures, laws are agreed upon and enacted to serve the greater community, but these do not cover relationships in their entirety. Often, there are the offensive and the aggrieved parties. Though...
REFLECTIONS TODAY First Reading • Gn 14:18-20 In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, the creator of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who...
REFLECTIONS TODAY Gospel • Matthew 6:24-34 Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will...
REFLECTIONS TODAY A treasure (Greek thesauros) is something or someone a person holds dear. In Jesus’ words, it is where our heart lies. On earth, treasures come in terms of jewels, lands, physical strength and beauty, and other possessions. Persons who are dear to us are also our treasures. The...
REFLECTIONS TODAY The Lord’s Prayer shares some semblance with the ancient Jewish prayers, the Qaddish and the Amidah. The Qaddish prayer is a hymn of praise to God (doxology) recited in Aramaic within synagogue services. A prayer leader proclaims, “Glorified and sanctified be God’s great...
Reflections today Jesus enjoins his disciples to refrain from being showy or hypocritical. Image building is its own reward, but the true recompense comes from the Father who is generous, merciful, and just—and who sees in secret. While we remain dependent on the graciousness of God, we humbly...
