To Be Great

The WORD today reminds me that I should be childlike to be great in God's eyes.

Young children usually obey their parents. When they are asked to be quiet, to do or not to do something, they don't usually ask why. Sometimes they do, but even if they don't fully understand the explanation of their parents, they still obey. They still follow. They respect their parents. Hindi sila pasaway na gagawin ang gusto nila. This attitude is what God wants us to have. This is what God wants us to be - childlike. 

What is being childlike? A childlike attitude puts full faith and trust in the parents  

Kapag bata, walang choice eh. The child needs to rely on the parents to walk, stand up, eat, etc. Ganun nalang yung dependency nya sa magulang. Ganun nalang yung tiwala nya sa magulang. Complete faith

A childish attitude is the opposite. 

It is when a person wants to have things their way. Kapag hindi nakuha ang gusto, magdadabog o magagalit. Gusto laging masunod. The focus is on the self.

This is why God blessed the childlike. Jesus wanted his disciples to be open to children and be childlike. He blessed those who relied on Him, instead of relying on their own personal achievements. He blessed those who know that they are nothing and everything that they have is from God, not those who think highly of themselves because of their accomplishments and credentials. the childlike have open hearts ready to welcome Him and will not argue with him or push him away. That is why Jesus wants us to be like that. 

God wants us to have that childlike faith – faith that will humble ourselves and totally rely on and trust in Him, knowing that He is the only one who loves us enough to die for us and save us from our sin, and that everything happening will lead to a full life in Him.

Are you childlike or childish? Are you proud of your own accomplishments and credentials that you forget the source of all those? Do you get mad at God when things don’t go your way, or when you don’t understand everything that is happening? Do you have full faith in God, confidently walking with him even if you can only see until the next step, knowing that He will be there every step of the way?

May we be sensitive to how we react to God, and work on having and pray for a childlike faith and attitude towards God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another week to live and to experience your love. Thank you for reminding me the importance of being childlike and not childish. Thank you for loving me and being patient with me. Lord, sorry for the many times I act childish. Sorry for getting mad at you when things do not go my way. Sorry for wanting things my way. Sorry for not having faith in you. Increase my faith. May I always trust in you, especially when things are challenging. A lot of times, I do not understand what is happening and how all these could turn into something great. But Lord, i have faith that you can see, and that as long as I cooperate with your plan, things will turn out great. May I develop that childlike faith as I live my life in service of you. Amen.

Blessed Week!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

September 30 2019

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 September 29  |  October 1 »

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 455

Reading 1 ZEC 8:1-8

This word of the LORD of hosts came:

Thus says the LORD of hosts:

I am intensely jealous for Zion,
stirred to jealous wrath for her.
Thus says the LORD:
I will return to Zion,
and I will dwell within Jerusalem;
Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city,
and the mountain of the LORD of hosts,
the holy mountain.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:  Old men and old women,
each with staff in hand because of old age,
shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem.
The city shall be filled with boys and girls playing in its streets.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Even if this should seem impossible
in the eyes of the remnant of this people,
shall it in those days be impossible in my eyes also,
says the LORD of hosts?
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
Lo, I will rescue my people from the land of the rising sun,
and from the land of the setting sun.
I will bring them back to dwell within Jerusalem.
They shall be my people, and I will be their God,
with faithfulness and justice.

Responsorial Psalm PS 102:16-18, 19-21, 29 AND 22-23

R.  (17) The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
"The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die."
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.
The children of your servants shall abide,
and their posterity shall continue in your presence.
That the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion;
and his praise, in Jerusalem,
When the peoples gather together,
and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.
R. The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory.

Alleluia MK 10:45

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 9:46-50

An argument arose among the disciples
about which of them was the greatest.
Jesus realized the intention of their hearts and took a child
and placed it by his side and said to them,
"Whoever receives this child in my name receives me,
and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.
For the one who is least among all of you
is the one who is the greatest."

Then John said in reply,
"Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name
and we tried to prevent him
because he does not follow in our company."
Jesus said to him,
"Do not prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.