The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/080216.cfm)
reminds me that what makes me clean or dirty is coming from the inside,
not from outside.
It is easy to appear good to other people. Superficial level. Mukhang mabait, mukhang magalang. Mukhang matulungin. It is easy to organize and attend socio civic activities that alleviate poverty. It is easy to organize fundraising activities for our less fortunate brothers and sisters. It is easy to attend prayer gatherings and appear holy. However, doing these things does not necessarily mean that goodness is inside the person.
This
is shown in the gospel. The Pharisees were surprised that Jesus and his
followers did not clean their hands as prescribed by the law. These Pharisees
appear to be good and holy, following the law of Moses before eating. But that
is just superficial level. Jesus knows that the inside of these Pharisees, what
their hearts contain, is not clean.
God sees beyond the superficial level.
What makes us clean, or unclean, comes from the inside. Organizing and attending such activities with hidden agenda, may make no difference in the surface level. Probably money will still go to the poor even if the intention is not really to help them, but to build up your reputation. Seems the same, but God sees what is in our hearts. God sees if our service to him is genuine or fake. God sees is our worship is pure or not. These things will make us clean or unclean in God’s eyes.
God is reminding us today to check our hearts. Check our reasons and intentions for doing good to others, for worshipping God. Is it really to give back to God, to share our blessings to others, or just for our personal hidden agenda? God sees what others cannot, so we always have to pray that we be guided and our intentions always be pure as we do things for God.
Do I always pray that my intentions be pure as I serve God? Do I even reflect to see what my intentions are, or am I satisfied with merely doing things? Do I judge others based on their actions, or do I pray for guidance to discern their intentions?
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for reminding me that what makes me unclean comes from inside. Lord, sorry for the times I get contented with superficial service to and love for you. Sorry for not always giving you my heart as I do these things. Lord, help me purify my intentions as I serve you, as I do things for you. May I not have hidden agendas for doing good things in this world. I know it is easy to get distracted in this world. It is easy to work for fame and affirmation rather than you. Help me keep my eyes on you. May I always put the focus on you, and may my reason for doing these things be to praise and glorify you, not myself. Amen
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflections:
August 2, 2016
Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 408
Reading 1 Jer 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22
The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
For thus says the LORD:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel:
Write all the words I have spoken to you in a book.
For thus says the LORD:
Incurable is your wound,
grievous your bruise;
There is none to plead your cause,
no remedy for your running sore,
no healing for you.
All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not seek you.
I struck you as an enemy would strike,
punished you cruelly;
Why cry out over your wound?
your pain is without relief.
Because of your great guilt,
your numerous sins,
I have done this to you.
Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23
R. (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence,
That the name of the LORD may be declared on Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Alleluia Jn 1:49b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.”
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 15:1-2, 10-14
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?
They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.”
He summoned the crowd and said to them, “Hear and understand.
It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”
Then his disciples approached and said to him,
“Do you know that the Pharisees took offense
when they heard what you said?”
He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted
will be uprooted.
Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind.
If a blind man leads a blind man,
both will fall into a pit.”
Minsan, gumagawa tayo ng mabuti at maganda sa kapwa kasi ang pamilya natin or mga kaibigan ay lagi na itong ginagawa. Mahilig tumulong sa kapwa ang mga taong nasa paligid natin at kaya sumasama lng tayo sa kanila at nakakagawa narin tayo ng mabuti na minsan ang intensyon natin ay hindi talaga yung pagtulong sa kapwa.
ReplyDeleteMeron din minsan, mabuti talaga ang intensyon natin sa pagtulong sa kapwa hanggang dadating ang time na parang wala nalang sa atin yung pagtulong, parang ordinaryong gawain nalang ito. Pero ang gawain para sa Diyos ay hindi ordinaryong gawain, kagaya ng pagtulong sa kapwa. Dapat isa-puso natin na ang ginagawa nating kabutihan ay pagta-trabaho para kay Lord.
Pero minsan din talaga, merong tao na may hidden agenda or intentions, kaya ipag-pray natin sila kasi baka hindi palang nila alam ang mabuting balita at salita ng Diyos. Ma-awain ang Diyos, kahit sa mga makasalanan.
Salamat po sir sa reflection nyo. Nagbabasa po ako araw-araw sa reflections nyo. :) at nakakapag-reflect din ako sa sarili ko.
Thank you and God bless sa lahat ng nagbabasa at sa inyo po sir :)