The WORD today reminds me that I should love God more, especially as I realize
how much he loves me.
Jesus
tells us in today’s gospel that those who felt great love and mercy gives more
love and mercy to others. The parable in the gospel says:
Two
people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one
owed five hundred day’s wages and the other owed fifty.
Since
they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which
of them will love him more?”
Simon
said in reply,
“The
one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.”
He
said to him, “You have judged rightly.
...
So
I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven
because
she has shown great love.
But
the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
God
loves everyone equally. He loves us despite of our sins and
shortcomings. However, naturally, those who are aware of our shortcomings
and sins and who experience God’s love and forgiveness tend to love God more,
tend to love others more. It is because they are aware of how difficult they
are to love, so it means God loves them so much. In the gospel, it does not
necessarily mean that the Pharisees had less sin. Maybe they were just unaware
of their sins, or too proud to admit they had sins too – thus they did not feel
the need to be forgiven, and did not feel the impact of God’s love In their
lives, because they felt that they were okay on their own. On the other hand,
the sinful woman was so sorry and repentant that she would do more to get
forgiveness. She would give her best to God just to show she is sorry. And she
got that.
All
of us sin and fall short of God’s grace. However, God is a God of love. God is
love. And he will always be ready to forgive us our sins as long as we humbly
come to him. And if we are aware of our situation and we allow God to love us
and we experience his love, it will cause us to love more, because we
experienced first hand God’s love and mercy in our lives.
Do
I realize how sinful I am? What are the instances I sin and hurt God? Do I know
that as I sin and hurt God, I am choosing to love myself and my desires rather
than loving God? Have I asked God for forgiveness? How bad do I want to be
forgiven by God? Am I more concerned on getting forgiveness from others than
from God?
May
we be aware of our sins and our need for repentance… and as we ask God’s
forgiveness, may we allow Him to love us as well and be moved by his love and
forgiveness, and pass it on to others.
Father
God,
Thank
you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance
to love and experience your love. Lord, sorry for hurting you. Sorry for
choosing to sin. Sorry for choosing myself over you. Help me repent from the
heart. Help me live right. Help me love you more. Lord, I allow you to love me.
I ask that you fill me and that you transform me, Lord. Make me more like you.
Help me love you the way I should. Help me love others the way you want me to.
Lord, may we all allow you to love us, and as we experience your love, may it
move us to pass that love to others, especially those who need it, and even to
those who don’t deserve it. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
September 19 2019
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18 | September
20 »
Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 446
Lectionary: 446
Reading
1 1 TM 4:12-16
Beloved:
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Let no one have contempt for your youth,
but set an example for those who believe,
in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.
Until I arrive, attend to the reading, exhortation, and teaching.
Do not neglect the gift you have,
which was conferred on you through the prophetic word
with the imposition of hands by the presbyterate.
Be diligent in these matters, be absorbed in them,
so that your progress may be evident to everyone.
Attend to yourself and to your teaching;
persevere in both tasks,
for by doing so you will save
both yourself and those who listen to you.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 111:7-8, 9, 10
R.(2) How great are the works of the
Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
prudent are all who live by it.
His praise endures forever.
R. How great are the works of the Lord!
Alleluia MT 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A
certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him,
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
and he entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at table.
Now there was a sinful woman in the city
who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee.
Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment,
she stood behind him at his feet weeping
and began to bathe his feet with her tears.
Then she wiped them with her hair,
kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself,
"If this man were a prophet,
he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him,
that she is a sinner."
Jesus said to him in reply,
"Simon, I have something to say to you."
"Tell me, teacher," he said.
"Two people were in debt to a certain creditor;
one owed five hundred days' wages and the other owed fifty.
Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both.
Which of them will love him more?"
Simon said in reply,
"The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven."
He said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon,
"Do you see this woman?
When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet,
but she has bathed them with her tears
and wiped them with her hair.
You did not give me a kiss,
but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered.
You did not anoint my head with oil,
but she anointed my feet with ointment.
So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven;
hence, she has shown great love.
But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little."
He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."
The others at table said to themselves,
"Who is this who even forgives sins?"
But he said to the woman,
"Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
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