8TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green)
Ps 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9
Rest in God alone, my soul.
1st Reading: Is 49:14-15
But Zion said: “Yahweh has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me.“ Can a woman forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb? Yet though she forget, I will never forget you.
2nd Reading: 1 Cor 4:1-5
Let everyone, then, see us as the servants of Christ, and stewards of the secret works of God. Being stewards, faithfulness shall be demanded of us; but I do not mind if you, or any human court, judges me. I do not even judge myself; my conscience, indeed, does not accuse me of anything, but that is not enough for me to be set right with God: the Lord is the one who judges me.
Therefore, do not judge before the time, until the coming of the Lord. He will bring to light whatever was hidden in darkness, and will disclose the secret intentions of the hearts. Then, each one will receive praise from God.
Gospel: Mt 6: 24-34
Jesus said to his disciples: “No one can serve two masters; for he will either hate one and love the other; or he will be loyal to the first and look down on the second. You cannot, at the same time, serve God and money.
“Therefore, I tell you, not to be worried about food and drink for yourself, or about clothes for your body. Is not life more important than food; and is not the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow, they do not harvest, and do not store food in barns; and yet, your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not less worthy than they are?
“Can any of you add a day to your life by worrying about it? Why are you so worried about your clothes? Look at how the flowers in the fields grow. They do not toil or spin. But I tell you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was clothed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass in the field, which blooms today and is to be burned in an oven tomorrow, how much more will he clothe you? What little faith you have!
“Do not worry, and say: What are we going to eat? What are we going to drink? or: What shall we wear? The pagans busy themselves with such things; but your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. Set your heart, first, on the kingdom and righteousness of God; and all these things will also be given to you. Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.“
REFLECTION:
Read: Through Isaiah, Yahweh makes the extraordinary statement of His love being greater than that of a mother. Jesus invites us to trust in such love and providence deeply. Paul reveals certain at-home-ness with God, with no worry about God’s judgement on him, for he knows God will judge with love.
Reflect: The theme of God’s love and providence pervades the readings today. God has a plan for you and it will unfold in time, and the only thing required of you is to remain faithful to Him. Are you courageous enough to trust such providence that goes beyond all human understanding? If you do, pray the following prayer with all your heart, mind, body, and soul:
Pray: Lord, in your will is my peace. Let your will be done in me.
Act: Meditate on the verse [as paraphrased], “even if your mother forgets you, I will never forget you.“
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
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