The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/020717.cfm)
reminds me to be careful and not interpret God's laws and commandments
in my own way that would be beneficial for me.
The internet has made the world
smaller. Skills and talents can be easily shared worldwide through the
internet, especially social media. One of the things I really like is 3D street
art. There are posts and articles about artists who create 3D masterpieces on
streets and subways. They make the drawings come alive, and you would actually
have to take a closer look to see that it is really a painting.
Things are not always what they seem.
Like these 3D paintings that
appears different from the painting that it actually, we sometimes take God’s
word and laws in our own interpretation and not for what is was intended to be.
It sometimes becomes easy to interpret the bible in the way we want to, or in a
way it seems fit, and not for the original message it was intended to be. In
the gospel, Jesus told the people that scribes and Pharisees nullify the word
of God in favor of human traditions. They take away what God intended and
interpret it differently – for their own benefit.
The first reading tells us that
God created man and woman in God’s image and likeness, and gave them dominion
over everything. This should not be taken as God giving us permission to do
anything we please to the world. We should remember that everything that God
created is good, especially humans that are made in the image and likeness of
God. As such, dominion was given to us not to abuse the world, but to take care
of the world, as God would.
We
should not be quick to interpret what we read, or what is happening to us, and
take time to be immersed and know the reason for God saying these things, so we
would know God’s original intention for his word and for what is happening to
us. Let us not create our own incorrect interpretation and always go back to
the basics, go back to God.
May
we always remember not to interpret things in our own way, especially just
because it will be beneficial to us.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for always reaching out to
me. Thank you for being patient. Lord, sorry for the times I interpret things
in my own ways. Sorry for focusing on myself and what would benefit me. Sorry
for not focusing on you and on the real intention of things. Lord, I ask that
you give me the desire and will to seek you and your will, and not interpret
things the way I want to or the way that is beneficial to me. Help me live
right and pleasing to you. Help me build an intimate relationship with you so
it will be easier for you to speak to me. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
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February 7, 2017
Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 330
Reading 1 Gn 1:20—2:4a
"Let the water teem with an abundance of living creatures,
and on the earth let birds fly beneath the dome of the sky."
And so it happened:
God created the great sea monsters
and all kinds of swimming creatures with which the water teems,
and all kinds of winged birds.
God saw how good it was, and God blessed them, saying,
"Be fertile, multiply, and fill the water of the seas;
and let the birds multiply on the earth."
Evening came, and morning followed–the fifth day.
Then God said,
"Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures:
cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds."
And so it happened:
God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle,
and all kinds of creeping things of the earth.
God saw how good it was.
Then God said:
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.
Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,
the birds of the air, and the cattle,
and over all the wild animals
and all the creatures that crawl on the ground."
God created man in his image;
in the divine image he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them, saying:
"Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air,
and all the living things that move on the earth."
God also said:
"See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth
and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food;
and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air,
and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground,
I give all the green plants for food."
And so it happened.
God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good.
Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed.
Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing,
he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken.
So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy,
because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.
Such is the story of the heavens and the earth at their creation.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Alleluia Ps 119:36, 29b
Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;
and favor me with your law.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 7:1-13
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 washing their hands,
keeping the tradition of the elders.
And on coming from the marketplace
they do not eat without purifying themselves.
And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,
the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds.)
So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,
"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders
but instead eat a meal with unclean hands?"
He responded,
"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites,
as it is written:
This people honors me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines human precepts.
You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."
He went on to say,
"How well you have set aside the commandment of God
in order to uphold your tradition!
For Moses said,
Honor your father and your mother,
and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.
Yet you say,
'If someone says to father or mother,
"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'
(meaning, dedicated to God),
you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.
You nullify the word of God
in favor of your tradition that you have handed on.
And you do many such things."
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