Sunday, March 13, 2022

Work and Reward


The WORD today reminds me that we should work first before getting our reward from God. 

I personally believe in earning your reward. I would rather work hard first then rest and enjoy after the work is done, rather than what others do which is to mix work and fun - Some reward themselves or take breaks while working. 

The first reading shows us Abraham and how he was. He had to work for God and patiently wait for a very long time before God gave them Isaac. Then we see today that God asked him to sacrifice Isaac which he would have obeyed. Then when God saw his heart, he told him not to do it, and promised him numerous descendants. He had to work before getting his reward from God. 

In the gospel we see Jesus bringing his closest apostles to the mountain to witness his transfiguration. However, Jesus did not allow them to stay there. He told them that they should all go back down the mountain first, in essence telling them that they should work first for God's kingdom before enjoying the reward of being forever with Jesus, Moses and Elijah. 

God loves us and had great plans for us. Surely he has rewards in store for us. However, we need to do our part first and work for his kingdom. We need to show him how much we really love him and how much we are willing to sacrifice to please and obey him - even if to us it doesn't make sense. Then when our hearts are full of love for him, and when we continuously live that, then we will enjoy our reward - eternal life with him. 

What are the things I do for God? How do I serve him? How do I show my love for him? Am I willing to work for and serve God, despite what is happening to my life?

May we always have it in our hearts to serve God and work for him. 

Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.  Thank you for another Sunday. Thank you for your reminder that I need to work hard for you first. Lord, sorry for being lazy. Sorry for not doing things for you. Sorry for all my excuses. Lord,  you know I love you and I ask that you help me live it. Help me be faithful to you. Help me live my love for you through others. May I do my best for you, and I have faith that when the perfect time comes, you will give me your reward. Amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related refections:


Daily Readings

Second Sunday of Lent

Lectionary: 27

The Lord God took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

He then said to him,
“I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
“how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
“Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
and placed each half opposite the other;
but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

When the sun had set and it was dark,
there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River, the Euphrates.”

Responsorial Psalm 

R. (1a)  The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
   whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
   of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
   have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
   Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
   You are my helper: cast me not off.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
   in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
   be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Join with others in being imitators of me, brothers and sisters,
and observe those who thus conduct themselves
according to the model you have in us.
For many, as I have often told you
and now tell you even in tears,
conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ.
Their end is destruction.
Their God is their stomach;
their glory is in their “shame.”
Their minds are occupied with earthly things.
But our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord.

or:

Phil 3:204:1

Brothers and sisters:
Our citizenship is in heaven,
and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He will change our lowly body
to conform with his glorified body
by the power that enables him also
to bring all things into subjection to himself.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,
in this way stand firm in the Lord, beloved.

Verse Before the Gospel

From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard:
This is my beloved Son, hear him.

Jesus took Peter, John, and James
and went up the mountain to pray.
While he was praying his face changed in appearance
and his clothing became dazzling white.
And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah,
who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus
that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem.
Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep,
but becoming fully awake,
they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
As they were about to part from him, Peter said to Jesus,
“Master, it is good that we are here;
let us make three tents,
one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”
But he did not know what he was saying.
While he was still speaking,
a cloud came and cast a shadow over them,
and they became frightened when they entered the cloud.
Then from the cloud came a voice that said,
“This is my chosen Son; listen to him.”
After the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone.
They fell silent and did not at that time
tell anyone what they had seen.

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