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Thursday, July 15, 2021

Come to Jesus


The WORD today reminds me of the importance of coming to Jesus. 

In this world, a lot of things can weigh us down. Focusing too much on studies, career, business and worldly achievements or accomplishments will weigh us down. The quest for fame, power and fortune will burn us out. These things of the world are temporary, and as long as long as we focus on these, we will never be satisfied and will just be tired because thirst for worldly things will never be quenched. There will always be someone more beautiful, more successful, more intelligent, more powerful, and more famous than you. IF we will focus on these things, no matter how hard we work, we will never attain the fullness of life, and it will only weigh us down.

The gospel tells us what we should do.

We should always come to Jesus.

In the gospel, He says that all who are tired and burdened come to him. He will give us rest. How can we rest? Will he give us what we want? Money, fame, power, achievements. Will we have all that when we come to Jesus? No – but we will have something much more than those.

Coming to Him is not the only thing he is asking from us. With coming to him comes the need to surrender to him. 

It is not enough to come to him. We should also submit ourselves to him. We should also surrender to Him. Yes, the famous saying, Let go and let God. As we come to him, as we submit our self to him, we will slowly be transformed to be more and more like him. As we surrender our personal desires, we allow God to empty us, only then will he be able to fill up with everything that is of his. Then as we are transformed, we see that all the material things in the world should not be the focus of our lives, thus not be burdened with these things anymore.

Nowadays, there are a lot of things that can weigh us down. Watching the news is really exhausting. We continue to see corruption, apathy and incompetence by the people who have worldly power and resources to lead us. Not exactly encouraging news. This is why we should focus on Jesus. This is why we should come to Jesus. Amidst everything, we should come to him and surrender to him. We let him assure us of his plans, and that we just need to do our best and trust in Him.

What is weighing me down right now? What is my biggest concern? Am I willing to come to God for help? Am I willing to submit myself, including all my desires, to Him? Am I willing to empty myself out so he can fill me with everything that is of his? Am i ready to let go and let God? What prevents me from coming to him? 

May we realize the importance of coming to Jesus, and have the will and resolve to do so. 

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you Lord for consistently reminding me that you are always thinking of me and my concerns. Thank you for always calling me to you, and for always being ready to accept me with open arms. Lord, sorry for being stubborn. Sorry for focusing on worldly things. Sorry for not focusing on you. I ask that you help me build my faith in you. I know Lord that as I surrender to your will, I will be transformed and that you will take care of everything. You always do, Lord. You have never failed to bless me with things more than I need and more than I deserve. May I always seek your will in my life, and have faith that you will continue to provide and take care of me. I surrender to you and trust you. Help me continue to do so, amidst everything that is happening. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,
-g-


July 15, 2021
Thursday of Week 15; St. Bonaventure

FIRST READING

Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him, “When I go to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?” God replied, “I am who am.” Then he added, “This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: I AM sent me to you.” 

God spoke further to Moses, “Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. 

“This is my name forever; this my title for all generations. 

“Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. 

“Thus they will heed your message. Then you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him: “The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word. Permit us, then, to go a three-days’ journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God. 

“Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced. I will stretch out my hand, therefore, and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there. After that he will send you away.”

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generationsB Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

He greatly increased his people and made them stronger than their foes, Whose hearts he changed, so that they hated his people, and dealt deceitfully with his servants. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia. 

He sent Moses his servant; Aaron, whom he had chosen. They wrought his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. 

R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.

ALLELUIA

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.

GOSPEL

Jesus said:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

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