The Word Today : September 25, 2013 Wednesday 25th Week in Ordinary Time Year I Ezra 9:5-9 / Tb 13: 2, 3-4a, 6, 7-8 / Lk 9:1-6 READINGS Reading 1: EZR 9:5-9 At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God. I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven. From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered up, we and our kings and our priests, to the will of the kings of foreign lands, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, and to disgrace, as is the case today. “And now, but a short time ago, mercy came to us from the LORD, our God, who left us a remnant and gave us a stake in his holy place; thus our God has brightened our eyes and given us relief in our servitude. For slaves we are, but in our servitude our God has not abandoned us; rather, he has turned the good will of the kings of Persia toward us. Thus he has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem.” Gospel: LUKE 9:1-6 Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them.” Then they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and curing diseases everywhere. REFLECTION In the Gospel today, we hear Jesus speak about the apostolic mission. The apostles were told not to bring anything for the journey, so that they might remain unencumbered by the things of this world. But while they were commissioned to preach the Good News and to take care of the spiritual needs of the people, they were also given the power to cure diseases, directing attention not only to the spiritual, but also to the physical needs of the body. We should not be overly concerned with material things of this world, but on the other hand, we cannot totally disregard them. Teaching cannot be effective and lessons cannot be learned when the subjects are suffering from illness or hunger. How am I doing in this two-fold mission by the way I live? Am I encumbered by the material things I have or desire? Do I also show concern for the poor and the needy, sharing with them all the blessings God has generously given to me? https://phjesuits.org/portal/
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 01:37:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015