32nd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 3 / (White)
St. Elizabeth of Hungary, religious
Ps 19: 2-3, 4-5ab
The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
1st Reading: Wis 13:1-9
The natural helplessness of humans is seen in their ignorance of God. The experience of good things did not lead them to the knowledge of Him who is. They were interested in his works, but they did not recognize the author of them.
Fire, wind, air, the sphere of the stars, rushing water and the lights in the sky were held as the rulers of the world.
If, charmed by such beauty, they took them for gods, let them know how far superior is their sovereign. And if they were impressed by their power and activity, let them understand from this how much mightier is he who formed them. For the grandeur and beauty of creatures lead us to ponder on their Author, greater and more magnificent.
No doubt these people are not to be blamed severely, for possibly they strayed though they searched for God and desired to find him. They pondered over the created things that surrounded them and were captivated by the sight of such beauty.
Even so they are not to be excused, for if they were able to explore the world, why did they not discover first the world‘s Sovereign?
Gospel: Lk 17:26-37
As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be on the day the Son of Man comes. In those days people ate and drank and got married; but on the day Noah entered the ark, the flood came and destroyed them all. So it was in the days of Lot: people ate and drank, and bought and sold, and planted and built; but on the day Lot left Sodom, God made fire and sulfur rain down from heaven, which destroyed them all. So will it be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, if you are on the rooftop, don‘t go down into the house to get your belongings; and if you happen to be in the fields, do not turn back. Remember Lot‘s wife! Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever gives his life will be born again.
I tell you, though two men are sharing the same bed, it might happen that one will be taken, and the other left; though two women are grinding meal together, one might be taken and the other left.“
Then they asked Jesus, “Where will this take place, Lord?“ And he answered, “Where the body is, there too will the vultures gather.“
REFLECTION:
Many are frustrated. Many too stopped praying because they do not receive reply from God. Asked what they are praying for, their prayers are all petitions, asking for their needs. This reminds me of our retreat master when we were college seminarians who told us; “You love the works of the Lord but you do not love the Lord of the works.“ People pray for miracles but do not pray to the God of miracles. True then is what our first reading is telling us: “They were interested in His works, but they did not recognize the author of them all.“
The world is habituated by different peoples, different in races, religion, profession, cultures and by good and bad. Christians are different from them all. Most often Christians are misinterpreted, misunderstood, discriminated, poor. Many times the bad triumphs, has better financial resources, powerful, happy and easy living. In their times, Noah and Lot lived differently, unnoticed among the marrying, the drinking and perverse people. Only God‘s eyes saw the difference.
God knows who belongs to Him and who is His. When the Son of God comes, God knows whom to take and whom to leave behind. No worry then if our goodness is unnoticed, not recognized, not rewarded. God does not sleep. It will not escape God‘s eyes. He will reward the good and punish the wicked.
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
Copyright © 2O16
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc.
U.P. P.O. Box 4, Diliman,
1101 Quezon City, Philippines
Tel.: (63-2) 921-3984
Fax: (6352) 921-7429
Email: ccfi@claretianpublicationscom
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.claretianph.com
