Gospel Reading & Reflection for the 25th Sunday Ordinary Time Year C – September 22nd 2013

FIRST READING: Amos 8:4-7

Listen to this, you who trample on the needy
and try to suppress the poor people of the country,
you who say, ‘When will New Moon be over
so that we can sell our corn,
and sabbath, so that we can market our wheat?
Then by lowering the bushel, raising the shekel,
by swindling and tampering with the scales,
we can buy up the poor for money,
and the needy for a pair of sandals,
and get a price even for the sweepings of the wheat.’
The Lord swears it by the pride of Jacob,
‘Never will I forget a single thing you have done’

GOSPEL: Luke 16:1-13

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘There was a rich man and he had a steward denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said, “What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because you are not to be my steward any longer.” Then the steward said to himself, “Now that my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their homes.”

Then he called his master’s debtors one by one. To the first he said, “How much do you owe my master?” “One hundred measures of oil” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty”. To another he said, “And you, sir, how much do you owe?” “One hundred measures of wheat” was the reply. The steward said, “Here, take your bond and write eighty”.

‘The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.’

‘And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and thus make sure that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is not yours, who will give you what is your very own?

‘No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.’

GOSPEL READING TODAY - LUCAS 7:7-17 - Muling Binuhay ang Anak ng Isang Biyuda

 7 ni hindi rin po ako karapat-dapat na humarap sa inyo. Ngunit sabihin lamang po ninyo at gagaling na ang aking alipin. 8 Ako po ay nasa ilalim ng mga nakakataas sa akin at may nasasakupan naman akong mga kawal. Kapag sinabi ko sa isa, 'Pumunta ka roon!' pumupunta siya; at kapag sinabi ko naman po sa isa, 'Halika!' siya'y lumalapit. Kapag sinabi ko po sa aking alipin, 'Gawin mo ito!' ginagawa niya iyon."

               9 Namangha si Jesus nang marinig ito, kaya't humarap siya sa napakaraming taong sumusunod sa kanya at sinabi, "Kahit na sa Israel ay hindi ako nakakita ng ganito kalaking pananampalataya."

               10 Pagbalik nila sa bahay, naratnan ng mga isinugo na magaling na nga ang alipin.

Muling Binuhay ang Anak ng Isang Biyuda

               11 Pagkatapos nito, nagpunta naman si Jesus sa isang bayang tinatawag na Nain. Sumama sa kanya ang mga alagad at ang napakaraming tao. 12 Nang malapit na siya sa pintuan ng bayan, nasalubong nila ang libing ng kaisa-isang anak na lalaki ng isang biyuda. Napakaraming nakikipaglibing. 13 Nahabag ang Panginoon nang kanyang makita ang ina ng namatay kaya't sinabi niya rito, "Huwag ka nang umiyak." 14 Nilapitan niya at hinipo ang kinalalagyan ng bangkay at tumigil naman ang mga may pasan nito. Sinabi niya, "Binata, makinig ka sa akin, bumangon ka!"

               15 Naupo ang binata at nagsalita; at siya'y ibinigay ni Jesus sa kanyang ina.

               16 Natakot ang lahat at sila'y nagpuri sa Diyos. Sabi nila, "Dumating sa kalagitnaan natin ang isang dakilang propeta! Dinalaw ng Diyos ang kanyang bayan!"

               17 At kumalat sa buong Judea at sa palibot na lupain ang balitang ito tungkol sa ginawa ni Jesus.

A MOTHER’S REQUEST - Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

Jesus, no doubt, loves His mother very much. Remember how the first miracle happened through the prodding of His mother when they ran out of wine at the wedding feast in Cana? It was not yet Jesus’ time, but His love for His mother prevailed. After all, most of us children usually give in to the requests of our mothers — even if sometimes they are against our will. Mothers are mothers.

       At the foot of the cross, in the midst of Jesus’ agony before He breathed His last, His still sharp heart and mind never failed to remember the mother He was leaving behind. He entrusted Mary to John: “Son, behold thy mother.” No amount of pain will make Jesus forget His mother, so He put her under the care of John. Somebody’s got to be with her. From the cross, He also saw and felt the agony of His mother, who must have been crying a river at the foot of the cross.

       In today’s Gospel (Luke 7:11-17), Jesus could have seen a familiar situation: a grieving mother who was a widow and whose only son died. He must have sensed that it would happen to Him someday, how His own mother, Mary, would grieve heavily at His death. He might have seen in this woman a “Mater Dolorosa,” wailing before the lifeless body of her son.

       The scene was too much for Him to bear. The heart of Jesus, so meek and mild, breaks every time He sees a mother in mourning. He could not bear to see His own mother suffering the same fate (although He knew already that it would happen in His Calvary).

       Thus, the miracle. He brought the dead son back to life — not so much to show a miracle but on account of a mother who was moving heaven and earth to bring her son back to life. “He was moved with pity and said to her, ‘Do not weep.’”

         A mother’s gentle request never fails to break the heart of Jesus.

       Because He loves His mother. Because He loves all mothers! 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you show your concern for those who weep and seek for help?

 

Heart touching inspirational story - The Boy & the Apple Tree

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the treetop, ate the apples, and took a nap under the shadow.

He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day.

One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad.

“Come and play with me”, the tree asked the boy.

“I am no longer a kid, I do not play around trees any more” the boy replied.

“I want toys. I need money to buy them.”

“Sorry, but I do not have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money.”

The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.

One day, the boy who now turned into a man returned and the tree was excited.

“Come and play with me” the tree said.

“I do not have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?”

“Sorry, but I do not have any house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house.” So the man cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the man never came back since then. The tree was again lonely and sad.

One hot summer day, the man returned and the tree was delighted.

“Come and play with me!” the tree said.

“I am getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?” said the man.

“Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy.”

So the man cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.

Finally, the man returned after many years. “Sorry, my boy. But I do not have anything for you anymore. No more apples for you”, the tree said. “No problem, I do not have any teeth to bite” the
man replied.

“No more trunk for you to climb on.” “I am too old for that now” the man said. “I really cannot give you anything, the only thing left is my dying roots,” the tree said with tears.

“I do not need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years,” the man replied.

“Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest, come sit down with me and rest.” The man sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.

This is a story of everyone. The tree is like our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with our Mum and Dad. When we grow up, we leave them; only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they could just to make you happy.

You may think the boy is cruel to the tree, but that is how all of us treat our parents. We take them for granted; we don’t appreciate all they do for us, until it’s too late.

~ Moral ~ Treat your parents with loving care…. For you will know their value, when you see their empty chair…We never know the love of our parents  for us; till we have become parents .

MODEL OF FAITH - Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

           Filipinos are fond of having idols. We either have a favorite movie actor or actress, a favorite writer, a favorite sports personality, and even a favorite impersonator! We play favorites, yes, and sometimes, we are influenced, consciously or unconsciously, by those whom we idolize.

       While having idols is not bad, we need to also help ourselves by way of asking: “How am I growing in my relationships because of the people I look up to?” More than anything else, we need to have role models rather than idols — people we can get inspiration from and motivation to be better than our best selves.

       Our role models need not be the best actors, writers, sport personalities or impersonators in town. In fact, they are not the best role models because they hide behind certain general criteria, which elevate them to the “idol” standards. We need not look too far and beyond to find our role models. They can simply be at home, in school or within the Church.

       The Gospel today (Luke 7:1-10) surprises us with Jesus’ words: “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith,” and He was referring to a centurion. Being responsible for the training and discipline of the legionaries under his command, a centurion has a well-deserved reputation for dealing out harsh punishment among his subjects. But what do we read in the Gospel today? The centurion says, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed.” It is the heart of the centurion speaking, proclaiming his love for his ailing servant.

       Find this centurion within you. Like a centurion, you may be the leader of a hundred or so people, or maybe even only a handful. But the invitation is the same: to be a leader with a heart for his people, who truly cares and is humble enough to recognize that he is also under a greater Leader, one he considers to be his role model. 

REFLECTION QUESTION: How do you show your love and concern to the little servants under your watch?

 

Lord, give me the heart of the centurion who humbly sought from You the healing and well-being of his lowly subject. Amen.

GOSPEL READING TODAY (Luke 7:1- 10) - September 16, 2013 - CURE OF CENTURION's SERVANT

GOSPEL

Let us seek to develop the same depth of faith of this official, who is not even Jewish but trusts that Jesus has the power to heal His servant. The faith of the official is phenomenal and something to be imitated. Let us draw inspiration from his faith so that we will grow and be able to trust Jesus as deeply as he did.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

Luke 7:1-10

1 When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,

and he was valuable to him. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” 6 And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. 7 Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

BLESSING

LIST

Think:  Let us pray that only worthy leaders will be elected to office.

GOSPEL READING TODAY, LUKE 6:27-38 - LOVE OF ONE'S ENEMY

GOSPEL

  

Christians must act differently from those who are not Christians. Some non-Christians will get morality right most, and maybe all, of the time. However they cannot be motivated by love to the same extent that a Christian is. Why? Simply because they have not explicitly experienced and recognized God’s love for them in the same way we have.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

 

If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.

 

Luke 6:27-38

27 Jesus said to his disciples: “To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29 To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. 31 Do to others as you would have them do to you. 32 For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. 34 If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, and get back the same amount. 35 But rather, love your enemies and do good to them, and lend expecting nothing back; then your reward will be great and you will be children of the Most High, for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. 36 Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful. 37 Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. 38 Give and gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing, will be poured into your lap. For the measure with which you measure will in return be measured out to you.”

 

Think:  It is love that must motivate us to maintain a truly human character.

FORGIVING ONE’S SELF - By: Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

        

          In the pursuit of our dreams, we inevitably commit mistakes and encounter defeat along the way. And more often than not, we feel bad because our mistakes and failures seem to indicate that we are never good enough. But have we pondered on this statement deeply? Whoever said we were not good enough?

       Most of the time, it is our own self — our own pride — trying to tell us: “You are no better compared to him; you should have been number one, not him,” and so on. We hate not being number one. But what’s wrong with being the second best?

       We are held in bondage by the competitions we impose upon ourselves, without realizing that the true delimiting figure in our life lies at the very core of our being, hidden in the deepest recesses of our heart. We will never be able to win the race that is not ours in the first place. We need to free ourselves from competition.

       The Gospel today (Luke 6:27-38) talks about forgiveness: “Forgive and you will be forgiven.” It invites us to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful. But more than being other-directed, forgiveness should first spring from within us. We can only truly begin to forgive others if we first learn to forgive ourselves for our shortcomings, our failures, our indecisions.

       Know that God always forgives those who forgive others, including themselves. And He is a God of second chances. We should not be restricted by the mistakes, defeats and indecisions of the past. The present has the power to redeem our past; it has the capacity to change our future.

       Let us ask ourselves today: What are we capable of doing? And then, quite calmly, go off in search of our own immense potential,  claiming boldly that gifts will be given to us — a good measure, packed together, shaken down and overflowing! 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have you totally forgiven yourself and others?

 

Lord, thank You for giving me a second chance each time I fail and fall. Amen.

HAVING GOD — ONLY GOD - By: Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

        During my childhood, our poor family ate simple food. We would only experience a semblance of luxury when we would have our annual Christmas shopping trip on the 24th of December, as the Christmas bonus of my father as a company guard would only be given on that day.

       Our poverty was evident. We would eat hotdogs, grapes and apples only once a year. Even a single apple would be divided into four, and we would have two pieces of grapes each for Noche Buena.

       We were poor, but we never knew what poverty meant. We were happy and our house was always filled with boisterous laughter. Growing up, I realized, through the words of my parents, that while we were really poor, the Lord provided for our spiritual, emotional and physical needs.

       Our Gospel (Luke 6:20-26) today reminds us of the same message: “Blessed are you who are poor, hungry, weeping; when people hate you, insult you and denounce you.” How in the world can the poor, the weeping, the hated and insulted be considered blessed in the midst of their misery? They are blessed because they have nothing and no one to turn to except the Lord. And what stronghold can be any sturdier than what the Lord offers — the Kingdom to the poor, satisfaction to the hungry, laughter for the weeping?

       On the other hand, while the Gospel says, “Woe to you who are rich... who are filled now... who laugh now,” it has to be clear that God does not condemn the rich. It’s surely not true that they are hell-bound. This part of the Gospel refers to those who, in spite of their privileged and happy life, do not know how to share their abundance and excesses with others.

       To be blessed is to accept misery, believing that God will one day make their sufferings vanish and give them heavenly rewards. Those who have been blessed and fail to recognize the needs of others, those who attribute their fortune to sheer personal egoistic competence, sadly won’t share the blessings that the lowly will receive from God.

       Blessed are the poor and lowly. They have God. Only God. 

 

REFLECTION QUESTION: Why do you consider yourself blessed?

 

GOSPEL READING TODAY, September 11, 2013, Luke 6:20-21,24-25 (The Great Discourse)

10 Things Every Couple Should Do Before Marriage - What you need to know before you say, "I do."

Hold the seating charts and favors.

Have you thought about what you really need to do before you get married? Maybe you’re not digging one of those premarital classes required by your church or perhaps you don’t think your relationship is going to change all that much once you tie the knot.

But according to one expert, there are some things you need to make sure to check off your pre-wedding checklist.

What you need to know before you say, "I do."

Have one big fight.

I'm not saying you need to pick a fight with your partner, but as I found out the hard way, there is a wrong and a right way to fight. I tended to shut down and invoke the silent treatment early in our marriage whenever we would fight, which wasn't exactly a productive way of solving problems. If you don't disagree before marriage, how will you know how to handle disagreements later on?

Discuss your finances.

Sit down and have an honest and in-depth discussion about each of your finances — we're talking the good, the bad, and the ugly. Write down everything you owe, from credit card debt to student loans. Be honest and make decisions about how you'll handle your future finances. Will you have joint checking accounts? Who will pay the bills? Deciding important financial details now may save you heartache later.

Bring up the baby factor.

Maybe kids aren't on your horizon just yet or maybe you're already a parent. Either way, it's a good idea to check in with your partner about where he's at on the baby-making scene before you tie the knot. Are we talking a honeymoon baby or lots of child-free years ahead of you both?

Be honest with your partner.

"Bring the skeletons out of your closet," says Dr. Carla Marie Greco, a clinical psychologist in California. "This doesn’t mean hanging out your 'dirty laundry' indiscriminately. What is a true necessity is being honest about anything you’ve hidden or forgotten to disclose that might impact your partner now or later. Your partner deserves to know the full truth of who you are and how you 'came to be' (including any mistakes you made or any untruths you may have previously told him or her). Better honest now than devastated later!"

Talk about your life goals.

"Take time to really look at your personal goals and ideals in regard to important issues such as finances, employment, household duties, religion, politics, children and family," says Dr. Carla. "If you and your partner can’t come to an agreement about each of these issues, then now is the time to sort it out. During courtship (dating and engagement periods), there can be a tendency to sublimate goals or ideals in order to be better aligned with a partner. Relationships can be ideal when couples have shared goals and ideals. However, marriages can also be very successful when there is not a meeting of the minds as long as there is respectful honoring of the other's goals and ideals. If goals or ideals are too far apart and compromise is impossible, the chance of a successful long term marriage is diminished."

Accept your partner.

As Dr. Carla points out, this tip sounds simple, but it's actually at the root of many failed marriages. "Couples often enter marriage believing that he or she will change the other person," she says. "Some hold the belief that the other person will morph over time because of the power of love and marriage. However, people tend to become only more of who they are over time. If you enter your marriage thinking your partner will change once the wedding band is on, be prepared for a harsh awakening. If you can’t accept your partner as he or she is, marriage will not be the cure."

Invest in communication.

"If you feel that your relationship has communication issues now, take the time to invest in a communication course for couples," Dr. Carla advises. "Many health plans offer such classes, and they can be worth their weight in gold. By learning to invest in communication (and your marriage) now, you set the stage for years of solid teamwork in the future."

Schedule date nights now.

"Take time now to set a schedule of date nights and couple time that will become an integral part of your marriage," Dr. Carla recommends. "Promise each other that you’ll have weekly time to date and enjoy each other. Also set the intention that you’ll have weekly time set aside (different from date time) to discuss issues, concerns, and problems. Make these times the bricks and mortar of your marriage. If you set these patterns now, you’ll find that they’ll carry you through the rockiest times ahead."

Don’t expect your spouse to make you happy.

Yes, of course marriage can be rewarding and help you live a longer, happier life. But if you're going into marriage expecting your future spouse to be your end-all answer to eternal happiness, you're going to be sorely disappointed. And I know this because I did it. Your spouse can't make you happy — only you can do that.

Make a vow to protect each other.

One of the first things that my husband and I did when we got married was go on the hunt for health and life insurance. Sure, it's not romantic, but it was a sign of our commitment to each other that we wanted to make sure that the other was protected, through good and through bad.

7 Things You Should Never Say at Work

"That’s Not My Job"

First rule of the office: play nice with others. If someone asks you to do something that's outside your job duties, just do it. Everyone likes a team player, and chances are, the person asking you to do something you don't want to do knows that you don't want to do it.

Now, this doesn't mean you should do anything unethical. It just means to chip in and help out when you can — even if that means checking the mail or doing the dishes.

Swear Words

In a professional environment, it is really important to keep your language clean. Using swear words is likely to diminish you in the eyes of your colleagues, especially the older ones. Be careful, and speak in a way that your grandmother would approve of.

It really helps if you can avoid stubbing your toe at work, since that's one scenario where it's very hard to keep an expletive from escaping.

Chick

If I could have a super power, being able to reach out and smack anyone who says, "Well, there's this chick at work..." would be high on my list of powers. Calling a woman a chick is not treating her as a peer and is subtly sexist. Use the term woman, please.

Unless you work with baby chickens. Then chick is perfectly acceptable.

Giving Body Parts Power

Speaking of sexist language, let's try not to give male body parts any power. Please take the phrase "grow a pair" out of your language at work and at home. As long as we're restricting male body parts to indicate power, let's not use female body parts to indicate weakness.

"I Don’t Have Enough Time"

If a colleague asks you for help, talk with them. Don't make their priorities yours, but see how you can assist. You never, ever know when you'll be your colleague's supervisor, or vice versa. Set boundaries, but be helpful. Ask your colleague, "Sure, when do you need it by?" so that they know that you won't prioritize their needs above your own.

"Whatever You Say"

The other side of that coin is to never acquiesce to everything you're asked to do. You were hired to use your brain, not simply fulfill orders. If something doesn't make sense or you have an alternative idea, speak up! Unless your boss truly wants you to be a yes-man or -woman, speaking up when you disagree with something is the right thing to do.

TMI

Anything that is overly personal should be avoided at work. Nobody at work needs to know about your irritable bowel syndrome. If you're friendly with colleagues, that's great! Fantastic! However, there's a line between what you'd tell your best friend and what you'd tell your work-best friend. Or at least there should be.

GOSPEL READING TODAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 (LUKE 6:6-11) - The Disciples & the Sabbath

GOSPEL

 

Jesus is unmindful of the concern of the Pharisees regarding His healing of a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. We find it unfair that anyone would think that Jesus has done anything wrong. Yet that is exactly what the Pharisees believe. Let us pray that we will have the wisdom and discernment to know the difference between right and wrong.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

 

Luke 6:6-11

6 On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. 7 The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the Sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. 8 But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up and stand before us.” And he rose and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” 10 Looking around at them all, he then said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so and his hand was restored. 11 But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.

LIST

THINK:  Let us pray that we will have the wisdom and discernment to know the difference between right and wrong.

TO SAVE OR DESTROY LIFE? - Fr. Erick Y. Santos, OFS

Once, a Chinese man requested me to bless his car. But I reminded him that he was a Buddhist and not Catholic. I could not, in my discernment, bless his car in any way. He pleaded, “Father, please! Bless my car.” But I was firm because he was a Buddhist. Suddenly he said, “OK, I’ll bring my car to the neighboring church and have it blessed.” And he asked, “Father, would it be OK if I donate P100,000 to the parish that would bless my car?” I answered, “Oh, why did you not tell me earlier that your car is a Catholic?” To complete the story, the car was blessed.

       The priests would always invoke the overused term “for pastoral reason” in relaxing some Church disciplines or rules. This speaks of the modern priests’ flexibility on some norms and rules, as long as it does not destroy the life of the Church.

       Jesus shows flexibility and the meaning of “pastoral reason” when He cured the man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. He opines, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than do evil; to save life rather than to destroy it?” For Jesus, first things come first. The urgent need was the man’s healing. He would not waste time any further. If the good that is being sought is urgent, Jesus would defy the revered Sabbath law to grant healing to the sick man. He shows His practical side by allowing healing on a day that it is forbidden.

       In our life, too, our availability for the needy, the sick and the destitute goes beyond any regulation, rules or laws. There is always urgency in reaching out to those in need. It is a Christian obligation which we need to fulfill at every opportunity. There should be no turning back, as doing so would go against the will of Jesus, who went against traditions and laws if only to spell out the real meaning of love, the greatest of all laws, and the law that embodies Jesus as He is love and compassion in Himself.

       True love and compassion know no bounds and defy any laws. After all, love and compassion are personified in Jesus. 

 

GOSPEL READING TODAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2013 - LUCAS 14:25-33 - Ang Pagiging Alagad

               25 Sumama kay Jesus ang napakaraming tao; humarap siya sa kanila at kanyang sinabi, 26 "Hindi maaaring maging alagad ko ang sinumang umiibig sa kanyang ama at ina, asawa at mga anak, mga kapatid, at maging sa sarili niyang buhay nang higit sa akin. 27 Ang ayaw magpasan ng sarili niyang krus at sumunod sa akin ay hindi maaaring maging alagad ko.

               28 "Kung ang isa sa inyo'y nagbabalak na magtayo ng tore, hindi ba siya uupo muna upang magplano at kuwentahin kung magkano ang magagastos niya upang matiyak kung may sapat siyang pera para maipatapos ang kanyang ipapatayo? 29 Baka matapos mailagay ang mga pundasyon ay hindi naman mayari ang tore. Siya'y kukutyain lamang ng lahat ng makakakita niyon. 30 Sasabihin nila, 'Ang taong ito'y nagsimulang magtayo ngunit hindi naman naipatapos.'

               31 "O sinong hari na makikipagdigma sa kapwa hari ang hindi muna mauupo upang pag-aralang mabuti kung ang sampung libong kawal niya ay maisasagupa sa kalaban na may dalawampung libong kawal? 32 At kung hindi niya kaya, malayo pa ang kalaban ay magsusugo na siya ng mga kinatawan upang makipagkasundo. 33 Gayundin naman, hindi maaaring maging alagad ko ang sinuman kung hindi niya tatalikuran ang lahat sa kanyang buhay.

SEEKING GOD'S GUIDANCE - By Dr. Charles Stanley

Psalm 27:11-14

Life is full of decisions, and if we want to make the right choices—those that glorify God and benefit us and others—we need the Lord’s guidance. The following seven words will help us in seeking His direction.

1. Cleansing. We need to ask, “Is anything in my life hindering me from hearing what You are saying? If so, what is it?” Cleansing comes by confession (1 John 1:9).

2. Surrendering. We must submit to whatever God instructs us to do. Sometimes we find it difficult to move ahead because we want to know step two before we complete step one of God’s will. However, we must surrender ourselves to His timing and guidance. Obeying the will of God is both a humbling and an uplifting experience (1 Peter 5:6).

3. Asking. James 4:2 reports, “You do not have because you do not ask.” God promises that when we ask according to His will, He hears us. And when we know that He hears us, we know He will answer (1 John 5:14-15)—even though the answer may come over a long period of time.

4. Meditating. God promises that His Word will be a light to our path (Ps. 119:105), so the more we think about His Word, the clearer our path will become.

5. Believing. In Mark’s Gospel, we learn that when we ask, we must believe He is going to give us what we have requested (Mark 11:22-24). Therefore, trust that He will show you what to do.

6. Waiting. God promises that He acts on our behalf when we wait for Him (Is. 64:4). If we run ahead of Him and try to fix things on our own or manipulate circumstances, we will most certainly be disappointed. However, if we wait on the Lord, then our sovereign, divine, omnipotent God will act on our behalf. It’s our choice.

7. Receiving. When we obediently seek the will of God, we can be sure that He’ll hear us and give us the wisdom we need to make the right choices (Matt. 7:7-8; James 1:5). And once we know His will, we have a responsibility to embrace His direction and obey Him completely.

You will find great peace and confidence in knowing that you are making choices based on God’s guidance. Perhaps no one else will understand or agree with your decision—but you will have heard from the One who matters the most.

Adapted from "The Charles F. Stanley’s Life Principles Bible," 2008.

KINDNESS - INSPIRATIONAL STORY

One day a woman was walking down the street when she spied a beggar sitting on the corner. The man was elderly, unshaven, and ragged. As he sat there, pedestrians walked by him giving him dirty looks They clearly wanted nothing to do with him because of who he was -- a dirty, homeless man. But when she saw him, the woman was moved to compassion. It was very cold that day and the man had his tattered coat -- more like an old suit coat rather than a warm coat -- wrapped around him. She stopped and looked down. "Sir?" she asked. "Are you all right?" The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before. "Leave me alone," he growled. To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away." The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone." Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked. "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?" The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?" "See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile." "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up. "Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything." "This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."

Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by the table. "What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"

"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.

"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."

Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."

The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"

"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

"And do you make a good profit from providing food at the weekly meetings?"

"What business is that of yours?"

"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

"Oh."

The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."

The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.

"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this." She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"

Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."

"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."

"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.

"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."

Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."

"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."

"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished her e, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet And if you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."

There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you," he said.

"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. He led me to you."

Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.

"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And... And thank you for the coffee."

She frowned. "I forgot to ask you whether you used cream or sugar. That's black."

The officer looked at the steaming cup of coffee in his hand. "Yes, I do take cream and sugar -- perhaps more sugar than is good for me." He patted his ample stomach.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I don't need it now," he replied smiling. "I've got the feeling that this coffee you bought me is going to taste as sweet as sugar."