The WORD today reminds me how God wants me to help others.
There is a sad reality in the world – that there are very few people who really help for the sake of helping. We see a lot of people, politicians and the like, helping others on national television. However, many of these are not genuine. They want something in return. They want media exposure, they want marginalized votes on election, or they want others to owe them something so they can collect favors when the time comes. This is what Jesus wants us to avoid in the gospel:
“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sister
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
This is real helping - Not expecting anything in return from the people you help. A man I look up to once said that you help simply because you want to help. You help because you can help, because you have blessings you can share with others.There should be no expectations that the person will be good to you after you help, and even a simple thank you from the person should not be necessary. You help because you want to help. You help out of the goodness and graces of God in your life.
Real helping is not an earthly investment. You help because you want to. But as you help others,
God will be the one to repay you.
God is a fair God. He rewards us for what we do – be it good or bad. And as we help others, we will also be rewarded for it. God sees the intention of our hearts. If we want worldly rewards from those who help us, we will get that. We will be acknowledged, we will get favors, and that’s it. However, if God sees that we really like to help others and do not expect anything in return, God will be the one to repay us and bless us, not just because we help others, but because He wants us to continue to help others with his blessings.
Right now is a perfect time for this. We just experienced a very strong typhoon this weekend. Now is a perfect time to help others without expecting anything in return. Now is a good time to live our faith and make God more real and more alive in this world.
Do I help others? In what way? What is my perspective on helping? Do I realize how God wants me to help? Is God pleased with the way I help others and my intentions for doing so? How can I concretely help the victims of Typhoon Paeng?
May we always remember how God wants us to help, and do it to others.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you foe the long weekend and for another day without work. Thank you for another week. Thank you for another chance to love and experience your love and blessings. Lord, I thank you for all my blessings. Sorry for the times I am not willing to share them with others. Sorry for being selfish and having ulterior motives for helping. Give me a pure heart. Purify me. I want to help others with my blessings. May I always be ready and willing to share your blessings with others, and as I do so, may I expect nothing in return, for I am only sharing what I got from you. Let your blessings flow through me. May I learn how to genuinely help others especially after this Typhoon Paeng. Bless those affected, may they not forget you and may you continue to bless and protect them. Amen.
Blessed Week!
In Christ,
-g-
Ps
See related reflection:
Daily Readings
Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 485
Reading 1
Brothers and sisters:
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also everyone for those of others.
If there is any encouragement in Christ,
any solace in love,
any participation in the Spirit,
any compassion and mercy,
complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love,
united in heart, thinking one thing.
Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;
rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,
each looking out not for his own interests,
but also everyone for those of others.
Responsorial Psalm
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O LORD, my heart is not proud,
nor are my eyes haughty;
I busy not myself with great things,
nor with things too sublime for me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
so is my soul within me.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
O Israel, hope in the LORD,
both now and forever.
R. In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,
and you will know the truth, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
He said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
He said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
No comments:
Post a Comment