The WORD today (see http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/110718.cfm)
reminds me that nothing should come before God.
The
readings today support each other. The first reading tells us that we should be
obedient chileren to God - loving amd serving him the best way we can. The gospel reinforces this.
Basically Jesus reminds us that nothing should come between you and God. He is
that important.
Jesus
statements that we should hate others to be his disciples should not be taken
literally. Jesus is the prince of peace, so there’s no way he is advocating
hate. What he wants to tell us is that nothing should take God’s place in our
lives. This is true especially for us Filipinos who put great value in family
relationships. Love and service to our loved ones, especially to our
family, should not take greater importance than love and service to God.
God
wants us to love others, as long as that love does not take His place in our
lives.
We
are reminded of the cost of being God’s disciple. We need not necessarily hate
others, it’s just that we should put God in the proper place. God should be God
in our lives. This is what it takes to be a real disciple. Yes, we should love
and serve others, but we should do so with God’s love, with God’s eyes, with
God’s arms – and not our own.
Do
I love God? In what ways do I show my love to Him? Is someome or something more
important than God? Do I treat someone or something more important than God?
How can I show in my life that nothing and no one comes before God?
May
we remember that no one and nothing should take God’s place as the most
important in my life.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live.
Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. thank you for the reminder.
Lord, sorry for the times I fail to do this – I fail to love others. Sorry for
the times I am too focused on myself, my wants and desires, and I ignore
others. Also, I am sorry for the times I love and serve others not for you, but
for myself – for my fulfillment, for my recognition, for my affirmation. Help
me love others the way I should. Help me love others as you do. May I pass on
your love to others. may I love others because I see you in them. Help me
always be aware that no one and nothing should come before you in my life.
Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
November
7, 2018
Wednesday of the Thirty-first
Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 487
Lectionary: 487
Reading 1 PHIL
2:12-18
My
beloved, obedient as you have always been,
not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent,
work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one who, for his good purpose,
works in you both to desire and to work.
Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life,
so that my boast for the day of Christ may be
that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
But, even if I am poured out as a libation
upon the sacrificial service of your faith,
I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.
In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent,
work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one who, for his good purpose,
works in you both to desire and to work.
Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life,
so that my boast for the day of Christ may be
that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
But, even if I am poured out as a libation
upon the sacrificial service of your faith,
I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.
In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1, 4,
13-14
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.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
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.
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.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
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.
Alleluia 1 PT 4:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of God rests upon you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you,
for the Spirit of God rests upon you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 14:25-33
Great
crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.'
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple."
and he turned and addressed them,
"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.'
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple."
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