REFLECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 15 JUNE 2013

Today’s readings tell of the way to Christ indwelling in us. It is not for us to glorify ourselves with pompous positions of false piety, proclaiming loudly our adherence to His law. But rather a humble, open and listening heart to accept fully and surrender to His love. It is there for us to receive, but we can only receive it in our hearts, not just our mind.

Let us open our true selves to Christ, faults and all. He knows we are not perfect. He made us, He understands. All we need to do is follow, without agenda, worldly needs, and with total love. Once that love in indwelling in ourselves, we will align with His will. It will be impossible to resist.

REFLECTION ON THE DAILY GOSPEL 14 JUNE 2013

What is Jesus saying to us in this seemingly straightforward message, one that sends terror through the hearts of many. At one level He tells us that our thoughts matter, what we think can lead us to good or evil, once we dwell on those thoughts we turn them from thoughts to desires, and desires eventually turn into passions that we act on.

These thoughts can be good or bad, if they are temptations, as those in the Gospel today, Jesus tells us to throw them out and get rid of them. What is in our heart is what will join or separate ourselves from God. Jesus does not make it simple, even marriage is forever, an almost alien concept in today’s secular society.

Jesus wants us to have an interior dedication to Him in our hearts that will shine through in our daily lives to all others around us. Appearing to be good is not the same as being good in our hearts. It is not enough for Him, he wants all of us.

THE DAILY GOSPEL AND READINGS 21 MAY 2013

May 21, 2013

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Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 342

Reading 1 Sir 2:1-11

My son, when you come to serve the LORD,
stand in justice and fear,
prepare yourself for trials.
Be sincere of heart and steadfast,
incline your ear and receive the word of understanding,
undisturbed in time of adversity.
Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not;
thus will you be wise in all your ways.
Accept whatever befalls you,
when sorrowful, be steadfast,
and in crushing misfortune be patient;
For in fire gold and silver are tested,
and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation.
Trust God and God will help you;
trust in him, and he will direct your way;
keep his fear and grow old therein.
You who fear the LORD, wait for his mercy,
turn not away lest you fall.
You who fear the LORD, trust him,
and your reward will not be lost.
You who fear the LORD, hope for good things,
for lasting joy and mercy.
You who fear the LORD, love him,
and your hearts will be enlightened.
Study the generations long past and understand;
has anyone hoped in the LORD and been disappointed?
Has anyone persevered in his commandments and been forsaken?
has anyone called upon him and been rebuffed?
Compassionate and merciful is the LORD;
he forgives sins, he saves in time of trouble
and he is a protector to all who seek him in truth.

Responsorial Psalm PS 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

R. (see 5) Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
They are not put to shame in an evil time;
in days of famine they have plenty.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
R. Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Gospel Mk 9:30-37

Jesus and his disciples left from there and began a journey through Galilee,
but he did not wish anyone to know about it.
He was teaching his disciples and telling them,
“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men
and they will kill him,
and three days after his death the Son of Man will rise.”
But they did not understand the saying,
and they were afraid to question him.
They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house,
he began to ask them,
“What were you arguing about on the way?”
But they remained silent.
For they had been discussing among themselves on the way
who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve, and said to them,
“If anyone wishes to be first,
he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.”
Taking a child, he placed it in their midst,
and putting his arms around it, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me;
and whoever receives me,
receives not me but the One who sent me.”

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.