The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/071315.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to put him first
Jesus is the price of peace, but the gospel seems to contradict that at first glance. But looking at it closely, it is not an intentional division, but rather, he reminds us that he wants us to put him first in everything.
Nothing should come between you and God.
Family is very important, especially to us Filipinos. Unlike with other cultures, we give so much importance to family, and we take care of our family, especially in their old age. However, we are reminded in today’s gospel that nothing should come in between us and God. Nothing should be more important that God in our lives. Nothing should hinder us from loving and worshipping God. A division may occur among friends, among those we love, and even among family members, as we try to follow God. However, this should not matter as much as God matters to us. This is just a reminder that we should not let attachment come in between our faith, and nothing should separate us from God.
God’s ways are not always easy, but it always worth it. May we be encouraged to stand firm, and avoid division by doing our best to bring our loved ones to Christ as well.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another opportunity to love and to experience you. Sorry for the times I let other things or other people come before you. sorry for giving importance to others instead of putting you first in my life all the time. Lord, I pray for strength to stand firm, to stand for you no matter what happens. May I also bring others, those whom I love in live, closer to you. Amen.
Blessed week!
In Christ
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
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July 13, 2015
Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 389
Reading 1 Ex 1:8-14, 22
A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.
He said to his subjects, “Look how numerous and powerful
the people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than we ourselves!
Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase;
otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies
to fight against us, and so leave our country.”
Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israel
to oppress them with forced labor.
Thus they had to build for Pharaoh
the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses.
Yet the more they were oppressed,
the more they multiplied and spread.
The Egyptians, then, dreaded the children of Israel
and reduced them to cruel slavery,
making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick
and all kinds of field work—the whole cruel fate of slaves.
Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects,
“Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews,
but you may let all the girls live.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 124:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8
R. (8a) Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Had not the LORD been with us–
let Israel say, had not the LORD been with us–
When men rose up against us,
then would they have swallowed us alive,
When their fury was inflamed against us.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;
The torrent would have swept over us;
over us then would have swept
the raging waters.
Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us
a prey to their teeth.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
We were rescued like a bird
from the fowlers’ snare;
Broken was the snare,
and we were freed.
Our help is in the name of the LORD,
who made heaven and earth.
R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Alleluia Mt 5:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 10:34—11:1
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s enemies will be those of his household.
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me is not worthy of me.
Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet
will receive a prophet’s reward,
and whoever receives a righteous man
because he is righteous
will receive a righteous man’s reward.
And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward.”
When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,
he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.
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