23RD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)
Ps 62:6-7, 9
In God is my safety and my glory.
1st Reading: Col 1:24–2:3
At present, I rejoice when I suffer for you; I complete, in my own flesh, what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, for the sake of his body, which is the church. For I am serving the church since God entrusted to me the ministry to make the word of God fully known. I mean that mysterious plan that, for centuries and generations, remained secret, and which God has now revealed to his holy ones.
God willed to make known to them the riches, and even the glory, that his mysterious plan reserved for the pagan nations: Christ is in you, the hope for glory.
This Christ, we preach. We warn, and teach everyone true wisdom, aiming to make everyone perfect, in Christ. For this cause I labor and struggle, with the energy of Christ working powerfully in me.
I want you to know how I strive for you, for those of Laodicea, and for so many who have not met me personally. I pray, that all may be encouraged. May you be established in love, that you may obtain all the riches of a full understanding, and know the mystery of God, Christ himself. For, in him, are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Gospel: Lk 6:6-11
On another Sabbath, Jesus entered the synagogue and began teaching. There was a man with a paralyzed right hand, and the teachers of the law and the Pharisees watched him: Would Jesus heal the man on the Sabbath? If he did, they could accuse him.
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to the man, “Get up, and stand in the middle.“ Then he spoke to them, “I want to ask you: what is allowed by the law on the Sabbath? To do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?“ And Jesus looked around at them all.
Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.“ He stretched it out, and his hand was restored, becoming as healthy as the other. But they were furious, and began to discuss with one another how they could deal with Jesus.
REFLECTION:
In the synagogue, the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely in order to find something to accuse him of.
Why do people go to church or places of worship? Evidently, it is to pray. However, there are times when you listen to some regular churchgoers and you cannot help wondering: Did they really go to worship God? For, once the service is over, they come to you and share with you everything they found wrong with the priest‘s manner of doing the Mass or preaching the homily. They comment about latecomers. They criticize the faithful departed, those who leave before the Mass ends. They complain about the disorder caused by children and mourn the absence of youth at the Mass. They accuse the pastor for bringing up financial needs and forcing a second collection. And of course, the choir—wasn‘t it terrible?
Why do I go to church?
Daily Reflection
Daily Gospel ® is a product Claretian Publications, a division of Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI) which is a pastoral endeavor of the Claretian Missionaries in the Philippines that brings the Word of God to people from all walks of life. CCFI aims to promote integral evangelization and renewed spirituality that is geared towards empowerment and total liberation in response to the needs and challenges of the Church today.
CCFI is a member of Claret Publishing Group, a consortium of the publishing houses of the Claretian Missionaries all over the world: Bangalore, Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Chennai, Colombo, Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Madrid, Macao, Manila, Owerry, São Paolo, Varsaw , Yaoundé.
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
Readings and Reflections
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