Not An Excuse

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/102217.cfm) reminds me that following and serving God do not have exempt me from other responsibilities in life. 

I had friends in college who were very keen on spiritual activities. They were doing bible study sessions multiple times a week, which would extend until late at night. This is something good, yearning for God and wanting to spend time with people knowing more about him and talking about him. however, some of their classmates were telling me that these people became remiss in their responsibility for school – not doing their part on group projects and not being 100% in class because they sleep late at nigh due to bible study sessions. It was sad that their actions do not reflect a good testament to the faith.

Following God does not exempt us from other rules and responsibilities in life. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that he expects us to give to Caesar what is due Caesar, and to God what is God’s. We cannot serve the country and say we do not need to serve God anymore, since we are serving the country. Likewise, we cannot say we do not need to serve others anymore if we are serving God. These things go hand in hand. 

Serving others and doing our responsibilities are necessary to strengthen and proclaim our faith to others. 

We need to give proper attention to the different aspects in our lives. We cannot say it is okay to be mediocre in our studies or career or business because we are doing extra-curricular work serving God. Serving God is not an excuse for mediocrity. We need not excel in every aspect of our lives, but we should try. We should give our best in everything – in our service to God, in our work, in our relationships with other people – parents, family, significant other, etc.  This is a good testament of our faith. This is what God wants.

May we always do our best, in serving God and in fulfilling our responsibilities, so we can give a good testament to our faith. 

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for giving me another day to live. Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you Lord for reminding me how you want me to live. Lord, sorry for the times I am not able to do this. Sorry for being contented with just one. Help me live the way you want me to. Lord, as I live my life today, I pray that I give my best in everything that I do. May I do my best not because I want recognition or praise, but because as I offer my life to you, I want to give you the best in all aspects of it, because you deserve the best that I can give. I will give my best because I want my actions and my life to be a positive testament of my faith. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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October 22, 2017
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 145

Reading 1IS 45:1, 4-6

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, Cyrus,
whose right hand I grasp,
subduing nations before him,
and making kings run in his service,
opening doors before him
and leaving the gates unbarred:
For the sake of Jacob, my servant,
of Israel, my chosen one,
I have called you by your name,
giving you a title, though you knew me not.
I am the LORD and there is no other,
there is no God besides me.
It is I who arm you, though you know me not,
so that toward the rising and the setting of the sun
people may know that there is none besides me.
I am the LORD, there is no other.

Responsorial PsalmPS 96:1, 3, 4-5, 7-8, 9-10

R. (7b) Give the Lord glory and honor.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.
Worship the LORD, in holy attire;
tremble before him, all the earth;
say among the nations: The LORD is king,
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. Give the Lord glory and honor.

Reading 21 THES 1:1-5B

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians
in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
grace to you and peace.
We give thanks to God always for all of you,
remembering you in our prayers,
unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love
and endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ,
before our God and Father,
knowing, brothers and sisters loved by God,
how you were chosen.
For our gospel did not come to you in word alone,
but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with much conviction.

AlleluiaPHIL 2:15D, 16A

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Shine like lights in the world
as you hold on to the word of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 22:15-21

The Pharisees went off
and plotted how they might entrap Jesus in speech. 
They sent their disciples to him, with the Herodians, saying,
"Teacher, we know that you are a truthful man
and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
And you are not concerned with anyone's opinion,
for you do not regard a person's status.
Tell us, then, what is your opinion:
Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?" 
Knowing their malice, Jesus said,
"Why are you testing me, you hypocrites? 
Show me the coin that pays the census tax." 
Then they handed him the Roman coin. 
He said to them, "Whose image is this and whose inscription?" 
They replied, "Caesar's."
At that he said to them,
"Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar
and to God what belongs to God."