The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/071317.cfm)
reminds me that God wants me to always depend on Him.
God
wants us to trust him. God wants us ti have faith in Him. In various instances,
we saw Jesus telling his disciples that God likes the childlike - those who are
humble and dependent on God. And the gospel today shows us Jesus asking the disciples to trust God:
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or
walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Jesus instructed his disciples
to bring just what is necessary, the very basics. How light
the disciples must have felt in that trip. No extra things to weigh them down.
But Jesus reminded them that they will have people who would provide for what
they need. God will send people to bless them and help them in their journey.
They survived with only the very basics.
However, in today’s day and
age, we feel that as though we need a lot of things to survive. There are a lot
things that we feel we need with us every time. When we travel, we bring with
us smartphones, powerbanks, among others. That’s why sometimes, instead of
enjoying our journey and focusing on it, our attention is divided because we
have to think of what we brought, making sure nothing gets lost or left behind,
checking if we have battery, and spare battery, to take pictures; making sure
there’s signal for mobile and internet use and social media uploads.
This
is exactly what Jesus did not want to happen to his apostles. He wanted them
to remain simple so they could focus on
their task. More than that, they wanted them to have faith that God will provide as they stay focused on
God.
As I look at my things, what
are the extras that seem to be necessities to me? As I look at my life, what
are the extras that seem to be necessities? What are weighing me down? What
things, people or habits are hindering me from focusing on God and on the task
he has for me? What are hindering me from fully trusting and surrendering to
God? Am I willing to let go?
May we be challenged and see
what things we do not really need, the things that are taking our focus away
from God and the task he has in store for us. Let us develop our faith in God’s
providence – he still provides, until now!
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for reminding me the
importance of staying light – to rid ourselves of anything and everything that
prevents us from focusing on you and from doing what you want us to do, and
from fully depending on you. Lord, sorry for the times I get distracted and
focus on the wrong things in life. Sorry for not focusing on you. Sorry for not
trusting you. Lord, there are a lot of distractions in life, and I ask that you
help me keep my focus on you. Help me have faith and depend on you as I take
this journey towards you. I have faith that you will always provide as long as
I focus on you and put you first. Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
July 13, 2017
Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary TimeLectionary: 386
Reading 1GN 44:18-21, 23B-29; 45:1-5
let your servant speak earnestly to my lord,
and do not become angry with your servant,
for you are the equal of Pharaoh.
My lord asked your servants, 'Have you a father, or another brother?'
So we said to my lord, 'We have an aged father,
and a young brother, the child of his old age.
This one's full brother is dead,
and since he is the only one by that mother who is left,
his father dotes on him.'
Then you told your servants,
'Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him.
Unless your youngest brother comes back with you,
you shall not come into my presence again.'
When we returned to your servant our father,
we reported to him the words of my lord.
"Later, our father told us to come back and buy some food for the family.
So we reminded him, 'We cannot go down there;
only if our youngest brother is with us can we go,
for we may not see the man if our youngest brother is not with us.'
Then your servant our father said to us,
'As you know, my wife bore me two sons.
One of them, however, disappeared, and I had to conclude
that he must have been torn to pieces by wild beasts;
I have not seen him since.
If you now take this one away from me, too,
and some disaster befalls him,
you will send my white head down to the nether world in grief.'"
Joseph could no longer control himself
in the presence of all his attendants,
so he cried out, "Have everyone withdraw from me!"
Thus no one else was about when he made himself known to his brothers.
But his sobs were so loud that the Egyptians heard him,
and so the news reached Pharaoh's palace.
"I am Joseph," he said to his brothers.
"Is my father still in good health?"
But his brothers could give him no answer,
so dumbfounded were they at him.
"Come closer to me," he told his brothers.
When they had done so, he said:
"I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt.
But now do not be distressed,
and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here.
It was really for the sake of saving lives
that God sent me here ahead of you."
Responsorial PsalmPS 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
or:
R. Alleluia.
When the LORD called down a famine on the land
and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They had weighed him down with fetters,
and he was bound with chains,
Till his prediction came to pass
and the word of the LORD proved him true.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaMK 1:15
The Kingdom of God is at hand:
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 10:7-15
"As you go, make this proclamation:
'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words—
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town."
No comments:
Post a Comment