Love and Service

The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/072518.cfm) reminds me that I should love God by serving others. 

It is easy to say that we love God. It is easy to say that we serve God. However, applying it in our lives is another thing. We sometimes are not willing to concretely apply this love for God through other people. We sometimes think that we love God and want to serve God, but loving and serving people is different. However, it is not.

Love and service to God should be lived through other people.

In the gospel, Jesus tells his disciples that they should serve others. Just as Jesus, the son of God, came to serve, they too as Jesus’ disciples should serve others. God’s kingdom is very different from the world. in this world, rulers and powerful people are being served by others. In God’s kingdom, it is actually the great ones who serve others. And if we want to be great in God’s eyes we should serve others. 

God is not physically present in this world, but people are. There are people God sends our way who need our love and service. They are God coming to us in different forms. They are actually opportunities for us to prove to God that we really love him. Sometimes we think that God will make a way, that God is mighty that he will send help to those in need. However, we sometimes do not realize that maybe that someone is us. Maybe God is sending us. Maybe we are the ones he wants to help others. We are and should be God’s arms and legs in this world – the physical manifestations of his love.

However, this doesn’t mean things will be easy if we decide to serve. In the first reading, we see St Paul telling us that it will be challenging. It will be difficult. But God knows what we are going through, and will continue to sustain us as we experience challenges. We should take courage that God is the same from then until now. he sees the difficulties we experience as we serve him. He sees the pain and hurt that comes with service. He sees the sacrifices we make, and the persecutions we experience as we serve him. And he will continue to equip us and give us what we need to continue serving Him. We just need to trust in him and have faith.

Do I love God? How do I express my love for Him? Do I love and serve him through other people? How do I treat others? How can I make God more alive and more real in this world? How does God want me to show and prove my love to him, especially to people around me? 

May we realize that we should serve others and be steadfast with the challenges that come with it.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for another day to experience your love. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you to others. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I fail to love and serve others. Sorry for making excuses not to. Sorry for not living my profession of love and service to you. help me be like Jesus. Help me live my love for you by loving and serving other people. Help me make your love more alive and more real in this world. In a special way, as we celebrate our third year of being married, I thank you, and I will continue to see you in and serve you through my wife. I ask that you continue to bless us and be with us. I will continue to make my love for you real and alive in and through her. I also ask that you always equip me to love you and do your work. All this I ask in faith in the mighty name of your Son Jesus through the intercession of Mama Mary. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

Daily Readings

July 25, 2018

Feast of Saint James, Apostle
Lectionary: 605

Reading 1 2 COR 4:7-15

Brothers and sisters:
We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.
We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;
perplexed, but not driven to despair;
persecuted, but not abandoned;
struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.
For we who live are constantly being given up to death
for the sake of Jesus,
so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since, then, we have the same spirit of faith,
according to what is written, I believed, therefore I spoke,
we too believe and therefore speak,
knowing that the one who raised the Lord Jesus
will raise us also with Jesus
and place us with you in his presence.
Everything indeed is for you,
so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people
may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

Responsorial Psalm PS 126:1BC-2AB, 2CD-3, 4-5, 6

R. (5) Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,
we were like men dreaming.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Then they said among the nations,
"The LORD has done great things for them."
The LORD has done great things for us;
we are glad indeed.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Restore our fortunes, O LORD,
like the torrents in the southern desert.
Those that sow in tears
shall reap rejoicing.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.
Although they go forth weeping,
carrying the seed to be sown,
They shall come back rejoicing,
carrying their sheaves.
R. Those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing.

Alleluia SEE JN 15:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 20:20-28

The mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons
and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something.
He said to her,
"What do you wish?"
She answered him,
"Command that these two sons of mine sit,
one at your right and the other at your left, in your Kingdom."
Jesus said in reply,
"You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?"
They said to him, "We can."
He replied,
"My chalice you will indeed drink,
but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give
but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."
When the ten heard this,
they became indignant at the two brothers.
But Jesus summoned them and said,
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served
but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."