According to Your Deeds

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/101816.cfm) reminds me that God will repay me according to my deeds. 

The movie flywheel is about a man who, before his conversion, was a shrewd car salesman. In one of the scenes, a pastor was buying a car from him. Like he always does, he gave him a  “not-so-honest” deal, making money for himself and putting the buyer on a disadvantage, while making them think and feel otherwise! since the pastor did not know this, he was so happy with the deal and said a prayer: “Lord, I ask you that you treat Jay just like he treated me today in this deal”

What if God were to treat us this way?

God will never impose what he wants on us. What will happen to us and how he will treat us is based on what we want and what we do. 

In the first reading, we see that Alexander the coppersmith treated him bad, and that God will repay him according to his deeds. In the gospel, Jesus says that if a peaceful person lives in the place, the blessing of peace will be upon them. But if not, it will come back to the disciples. 

Hindi ipipilit ng Diyos ang sarili nya sa iyo kung ayaw mo talaga sa kanya. 

God does not just reward good people and punish the bad. And God will not force himself to us. That is why in the gospel, peace will come back to the disciples if the person is not a peaceful one. He will  give you what you want. If despite all his blessings and reminders, you continue to live in an evil way, disregarding him snd his teachings, then you do not want him. And he will give you that - eternity away from him. But if you love him, serve him, and do his commands, he will give you eternity with him. That is how God would repay snd treat us - according to our deeds, according to what we want. 

God is love. He will continue loving and blessing us, regardless of how we act. Of how we live. In the bible, we see that God lets the sun shine on both the good and the bad. However, things have its time. And the time will come when he will judge us. When he will tell us where we would spend eternity. 

May we remember that as powerful as He is, God will never impose himself on us, and will treat us the way we want to be treated. May we live telling and showing Him that we love Him. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for another reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I do not live for you. Sorry for not wholeheartedly following and loving you. Sorry for being hard headed. Lord, I ask that you help me live right. Help me choose wisely. Help me live saying that I love you and I want to be with you forever. I know that you would treat me and repay me according to what I want and how I want to be treated, according to how I live. May my actions and decisions tell you what is in my heart. That I love you. Amen. 

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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October 18, 2016
Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist
Lectionary: 661

Reading 1 2 Tm 4:10-17b

Beloved:
Demas, enamored of the present world,
deserted me and went to Thessalonica,
Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.
Luke is the only one with me.
Get Mark and bring him with you,
for he is helpful to me in the ministry.
I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus.
When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas,
the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments.

Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm;
the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
You too be on guard against him,
for he has strongly resisted our preaching.

At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf,
but everyone deserted me.
May it not be held against them!
But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength,
so that through me the proclamation might be completed
and all the Gentiles might hear it.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

R. (12) Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

Alleluia See Jn 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Lk 10:1-9

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples
whom he sent ahead of him in pairs
to every town and place he intended to visit.
He said to them,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way;
behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;
and greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter,
first say, ‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,
for the laborer deserves payment.
Do not move about from one house to another.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”