What hold our attention and interest range from a variety of
people, places and things and we express them by engaging in various ways and
means. Some are hooked in business, sports, entertainment, romance, travel,
food, fashion, current events, issues with nature, outer space and all other
things we can think about that we can consider profitable, enjoyable, fun and
worthwhile to do. We had our moments and stages wherein we’ve been there and
done that. Coming from this point of view, we eventually realize whether now,
soon or later that ultimately we must acknowledge the fact that if there’s one
thing that should hold not just our
attention and interest but our constant admiration is the truth that is stated
in today’s 1st reading because it has definitely got it all. It is reminding us
of the things God has to go through just to show His great love. It sounds
impossible when we hear about this kind of love that God is sharing to each one
of us. This should give us the confidence and courage to carry on. Jesus is
God, King of Heaven and earth and the Master of all creation but took the form
of a slave and obeyed to the point of death. If we are to look at ourselves and
try to figure out who we really are as compared to God's greatness then we
should not even think of boasting anything about ourselves but rather we should
always be compelled to follow His example in our own little way. No matter how
inadequate and insufficient we are as a people we still try our very best to
bridge our gaps in the best human way we can. This should make us realize how
much more can the Lord do for us in His Godly power, resources and love. Christ
divested Himself of His dazzling glory and majesty. He was lost in the crowd,
lived in obscurity for the majority of His life and was thought to be Mary’s
boy and Joseph’s son since it was only in the last 3 years of His life that He
went public. When we are on top of everything there is greater danger of
turning away from God knowing that we have lesser need for God. Humanity has
become so full of itself. There is a need to be empty and sometimes the only
way we can fill up ourselves with God's grace and breathe life into us is
through a painful and difficult process. We are asked to empty ourselves of all
that is false, ignoble, and unreal so that we may become filled with Christ.
Because nature abhors a vacuum and so does grace. We must be filled with
something. Tragically we are filled with all kinds of desire, we want to be
applauded, be promoted, be consulted, be loved and be preferred to others. John
the Baptist gave us our ideal, I must decrease and He must increase (John 3:30)
. All the foolishness, unreality, intolerance, selfishness and the sin that is
in us must decrease so that we must fill the vacuum with our Lord who wants to
share our life. Whatever happens to us happens to Him and He wants us to let
Him share because only then will we find the rest that we pray for. A long time
ago St. Francis cried out loud, “He comes to His own today and receives Him
not.” And so we live lives that are restless, confused, frustrated and
unfulfilled because we do not share our lonely life with Him. So the prayer we
learn as children and the prayer that is said all over the world among
Christians should be our prayer now, Make our hearts like the meek and humble
heart of Jesus. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI points out this route
through Jesus as the way to ascend to God. The orientation of the believer
changed when Jesus came. When Jesus offered Himself as the Lamb of sacrifice,
He forever reconciled man to God. We need to look to our Lord on the cross and
despise what He despised on the cross, wealth, pleasure, power and honor. Wealth, he has none he was stripped naked
even of His clothes. Pleasure he was at the limit of physical and psychological
suffering. Power, he was nailed on the cross. Honor, he was mocked as he was
publicly displayed and crucified. On the cross, he is the ultimate peace maker
and the bringer of divine mercy, if Aquinas is right then Jesus on the cross is
a picture of a happy man. He is a happy man, a picture of freedom and joy.
The main point is detachment. Jesus is detached from the things which we
typically seek. He loved doing the will of His Father. Jesus goes out to Jerusalem
as a lamb without blemish to be sacrificed in the eyes of Israel . He goes beyond to a New
Jerusalem which opened for us the frontier from earth to heaven. In view of all
these we can always have confidence in all our actions and decisions if we have
consulted every plan we have to God in prayer. We experience peace and serenity that no
amount of wealth, fame and power can offer. The joy in our heart comes from knowing
that every single step of the way God is guiding and directing us. Most of all,
we have to learn the lesson that goes with everything that we've been through
and realize that there is nothing else we can do best but to totally surrender our
will to Him by being obedient to God at all cost. For we are the dear children
of God and everything become beautiful in His time. Amen. Hallelujah!
Philippians 2:5-11
Brothers and sisters: Christ Jesus, though he was in the
form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. 7
Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human
likeness; and found human in appearance, 8 he humbled himself, becoming
obedient to death, even death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God greatly
exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 that at
the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the
glory of God the Father.
We should always have this hope in a God who loves us so
much that He sacrificed His only begotten Son to the point of a humiliating and
gruesome death so that we can start a new life with Him full of joy and
prosperity. If we are all set and very sure where we are headed then nothing
can stop us from being there. Considering, too that we have a God who has
secured a place and our future for us. John 14:1-3, " Jesus said to his
disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have
faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there
were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And
if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to
myself, so that where I am you also may be." Nothing or no one can prevent
us unless we ourselves decide not to go. The truth is, it's all up to us. If we
decide for God in what we say or do in all circumstances then we can surely
experience the joy and happiness that God has in store for His faithful people.
Amen. Hallelujah!
Psalm 22:26b-27, 28-30ab, 30e, 31-32
R: I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
25 [26] I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him. 26
[27] The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
“May your hearts be ever merry!” (R) 27 [28] All the ends of the earth shall
remember and turn to the LORD; all the families of the nations shall bow down
before him. 29 [30] To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth;
before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. (R) And to him my soul
shall live; 30 [31] my descendants shall serve him. Let the coming generation
be told of the LORD 31 [32] that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown. (R)
In today's gospel, we are again reminded of choosing to do
the right thing and not make excuses. We will really never know what we are
missing unless we become wise for God in the choices that we make. We have to
make up our mind and make our choice. Come to think of it, today is the day
when the Americans will be deciding for the new US President. We can not be
undecided, there is a need to be counted and make the right choice. Sometimes when
we are not careful with the choices we make and preoccupied with other things
then we tend to neglect what is essential and important. We may find ourselves
living day in and out without any meaning at all. We have to know our
priorities and set it right. In our list we should always make God our top
priority in everything we do so as not to miss on the main course or the
special menu that God has prepared for those who have been invited and were
able to make it. Amen. Hallelujah!
Lk 14:15-24
One of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is
the one who will dine in the Kingdom
of God
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