What It Takes

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070119.cfm) reminds me of what it takes to follow God, and how serious it is.

It is very hard to be an athlete. They train for hours to be the best in their sport. Not only that, it is actually a lifestyle. They eat proper food, get enough sleep, and skip late night activities and other things that will be bad for their training and conditioning. Serious stuff. They do a lot and give up a lot to be able to prepare well and be the best they can be. This should also be our attitude as we serve God.

In the gospel, Jesus is saying that serving God is serious. We see Jesus telling us what it takes. The scribe came to him, wanting to be his disciple. But he reminded him how challenging it will be. Animals have places to stay, Jesus the Son of Man do not. This just shows how unrewarding in the world this would be. Probably applicable to him since as a scribe, he is used to honors and in being important in society. You won’t get that with Jesus. On the other hand, The other disciple told Jesus that he would first take care of things at home. He is delaying responding to God. He has worldly things to take care of first. This reminds us that One’s obligations to family and social responsibilities should not get in the way of our serving God. Once we say yes to serving God, we should not look back at our old life, at other responsibilities, or anything that will hinder us from serving Him.

This is what is takes to serve God, full focus on Him.

There are times it is easy to serve God. When things are new and fun, when you’re serving with friends, when activities are nice and easy, it is very fun to serve God. However, we should continue serving Him when things change. When the demands at work are overwhelming, or when there are concerns in life – financial concerns, health concerns, relationship concerns, then it becomes a challenge serving God. We should serve him even if we are not rewarded by the world, or if we are not acknowledged and even judged by the world. This is the time our character is built. This is the time we really need to serve God. This is the time to focus on Him and not on other things that hinder us from serving Him.

Do I serve God in my life? How? Am I living my life pleasing to God and in accordance to his values? Do I seek worldly rewards and recognition as I serve God? Do I give excuses for not serving God? Do I delay in serving him? In what ways? What is he telling me today?

May we be inspired by the readings to take seriously serving God.

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 week. thank you for the reminder. Lord, thank you for the opportunity to serve you. Sorry for the times I do not serve you. Sorry for having lots of reasons and excuses for not serving you. Sorry for delaying serving you. And sorry for expecting rewards as I serve you. Lord, I will serve you because I love you. I know you call us to serve in different ways, and I pray that I would always be sensitive to the ways you are calling me to serve you. and when I hear you, help me be serious about it. Despite all the challenges and distractions, help me focus on you and serve you despite of everything. I know it will make you happy. As I serve you, use my service to bring glory to your name. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 1 2019

Monday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 377

Reading 1 GN 18:16-33

Abraham and the men who had visited him by the Terebinth of Mamre
set out from there and looked down toward Sodom;
Abraham was walking with them, to see them on their way.
The LORD reflected: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do,
now that he is to become a great and populous nation,
and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him?
Indeed, I have singled him out
that he may direct his children and his household after him
to keep the way of the LORD
by doing what is right and just,
so that the LORD may carry into effect for Abraham
the promises he made about him."
Then the LORD said:
"The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great,
and their sin so grave,
that I must go down and see whether or not their actions
fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me.
I mean to find out."

While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom,
the LORD remained standing before Abraham.
Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said:
"Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty?
Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city;
would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it
for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it?
Far be it from you to do such a thing,
to make the innocent die with the guilty,
so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike!
Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?"
The LORD replied,
"If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom,
I will spare the whole place for their sake."
Abraham spoke up again:
"See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord,
though I am but dust and ashes!
What if there are five less than fifty innocent people?
Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?"
He answered, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."
But Abraham persisted, saying, "What if only forty are found there?"
He replied, "I will forbear doing it for the sake of forty."
Then Abraham said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on.
What if only thirty are found there?"
He replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there."
Still Abraham went on,
"Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord,
what if there are no more than twenty?"
He answered, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty."
But he still persisted:
"Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time.
What if there are at least ten there?"
He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."

The LORD departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham,
and Abraham returned home.

Responsorial Psalm PS 103:1B-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11

R. (8a)  The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD,
slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

AlleluiaPS 95:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice,
harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 8:18-22

When Jesus saw a crowd around him,
he gave orders to cross to the other shore.
A scribe approached and said to him,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Another of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, let me go first and bury my father.”
But Jesus answered him, “Follow me,
and let the dead bury their dead.”