Day: July 12, 2020

IMPORTANCE OF MAN’S RELATIONSHIP TO THE FATHER (MATTHEW 10: 34-11: 1, JULY 13, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 10: 34-11: 1 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JULY 13, 2020)

Do not think that I have come to establish peace on earth. I have not come  to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set man against his Father, and a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in – law. Each one will have as enemies, those of one’s own family.

Whoever loves more than Father and mother more than me, is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up is cross and follow me, is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life, for my sake, will find it. 

Whoever welcomes you, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes who sent me. The one who welcomes a prophet, as a prophet,  will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man,because he is just man, will receive a reward of  just man. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to the one of these little ones, because he is my disciple, I assure you, he will not go unrewarded,” When Jesus had finish giving His twelve disciples these instructions, he went on from there, to teach and to proclaim his message in their towns. 

POINTS OF REFLECTION

Life is really a set of complicated things that oftentimes lead us into the wrong priorities.  Perhaps  life could be ordered in these priorities; God, self and family (closest neighbor), community. 

What is really ironic in this order of priorities is the twist that could happen anytime in the circumstance of life. Let’s say, an important gathering in the Christian community which runs counter to the birthday celebration of your father, mother or any member of the family  which opted you to choose in between the works of God and the family affairs. When you decide according to the herein stated priorities then, you will not be attending the family celebration instead proclaim the gospel of God in the community gathering. Though you pick a good choice, you could not deny the tendencies of indifference from your family. Grudges may craft up  and relationships at home may not be as good as it was. That is why Jesus said“I have not come  to bring peace, but a sword.” We know that the ways of God are not the same as the ways of man. Meaning giving in always to the demands of our family seeking favor against the works of evangelization would somehow make us unworthy unto Jesus. 

On the other side, this does not mean leaving our family unattended but encouraging them to join religious activities by accepting Jesus as our leading figure to attain the kingdom of God on the final day. In fact Jesus said “ pick up your cross and follow me.” Knowing one’s cross is important to follow God’s ways. Who knows, your  own family might be the cross for you to carry. 

Finally let us acknowledge that our relationship to God is very important and worth more than anything in this world. And remember that in  the process of fixing this relationship unto Him we need to carry our cross as Jesus carried his to save us all.

Views: 50

Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23, JULY 12, 2020)

by Roger, posted in Gospel Reading

MATTHEW 13: 1-23 GOSPEL READING AND REFLECTION (JULY 12, 2020)

That same day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lade-side. Many people gathered around him. So he got into the boat, and sat down, while the crowds stood on the shore; and he spoke to them in parables and about many things. Jesus said, “The sower went out to sow; and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path; and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly, because the soil was not deep. But as soon as the sun rose, the plants were scorched; and withered, because they had no roots. Again, other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants. Still, other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop: some a hundredfold, others sixty, and others thirty. If you have ears, then hear!”

Then the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven, but not to these people. For the one who has will be given more; and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has. That is why! Speak to them in parables; because they look and do not see; they are hear, you do not understand. In them, the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: However much you see, you do not perceive. For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back, and I will heal them. But bless are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because the hear. For I tell you, many prophets and righteous people have longed to see the things you see, but they did not see them; and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them.

Now listen to the parable of the sower. When a person hears the message of the kingdom, but does not take it seriously, the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed that fell along the footpath. The seed that fell on the rocky ground stands for the one who hears the word, and accepts it at once with joy. But such a person has no roots, and endures only for a while. No sooner is he harassed or persecuted because of the word, that he gives up. The seed that fell among the thistles is the one who hears the word; but then, the worries of this life and the love of money choke the word; and it does not bear fruit. As for the seed that fell on good soil, it is the one who hears the word and understands it; this seed bears fruit and produces a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times more.”

POINTS OF REFLECTION

The love and goodness of God is extremely wonderful and amazing. He has showered us all of His abundance without due regard to our sinfulness as He let rain fall and the sun shines  to all regardless of who we are.

The seeds in this Bible reading are the words of God about His kingdom in heaven. The different soil condition from which these seeds are to be sown represents the human heart which could be doubting (soil along the footpath), uncommitted (rocky ground),  worrying  (ground full of thistles) and committed (good soil) heart.

With no exemption, everyone’s heart could  be one of those mentioned above. If you possess a doubting heart, there exist greater tendencies that you be easily deceived by the works of evil thereby forgetting the good things received from the Father. If you possess an uncommitted heart you manifest quick tendencies to respond to God’s word but eventually lose faith appetite for some reason hard to understand which makes one complacent in his Christian living. If you possess a worrying heart your tendencies are too much attachment to the material world, love of money and fame. If you possess a committed  heart your tendencies are to listen to God’s word, understand it and be able to grow in faith significantly by committing oneself unto Jesus and to the Father.

Regardless of who we really are : doubting heart, uncommitted heart, worrying heart and committed heart, His love  and goodness to us will forever be non selective. He will always send down rains to all and let the sun shine to all  until the judgment day.

Views: 102