4TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Blessed Virgin Mary / St. Blaise, bishop & martyr / St. Ansgar, bishop
Psalter: Week 4 / (Green/Red/White)
Ps 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Lord, teach me your statutes.
1st Reading: 1 K 3:4-13
The king used to sacrifice at Gibeon, the great high place; on the altar there he had offered a thousand burnt offerings. It was in Gibeon, during the night, that Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, “Ask what you want me to give you.”
Solomon answered, “You have shown your servant David my father a great and steadfast love because he served you faithfully and was righteous and sincere towards you. You have given him proof of your steadfast love in making a son of his sit on his throne this day. And now, O Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a young boy who does not know how to undertake anything. Meantime, your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen — a people so great that they can neither be numbered nor counted.
Give me, therefore, an understanding mind in governing your people that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this multitude of people of yours?”
Yahweh was pleased that Solomon had made this request. And he told him, “Because you have requested this rather than long life or wealth or even vengeance on your enemies; indeed, because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I shall grant you your request. I now give you a wise and discerning mind such as no one has had before you nor anyone after you shall ever have.
“I will also give you what you have not asked for, both wealth and fame; and no king shall be your equal during your lifetime.
Gospel: Mk 6:30-34
The apostles returned and reported to Jesus all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, “Let us go off by ourselves into a remote place and have some rest.” For there were so many people coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a secluded area by themselves. But people saw them leaving, and many could guess where they were going. So, from all the towns, they hurried there on foot, arriving ahead of them. As Jesus went ashore, he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.
Reflections
LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD
In our society today, there are many voiceless people, oppressed people, people who do not know what direction in life they will take. They are like the crowd Jesus had compassion on because they were like “sheep without a shepherd”. There are the farmers in our country who are mostly tenants and do not have land of their own and who flock to the city looking for work. It is good that some of them have become organized and therefore have shepherds to guide them in their struggle for their rights. There are the urban poor who are also without power and cannot obtain the most basic necessities in life and the social services that could ease their life lived in utmost poverty. There are the indigenous people who are overwhelmed by those who want to rob them of their ancestral lands and the treasures buried there. Not only are they driven away but their leaders are being killed by those who are supposed to protect them but instead protect the interests of the multinational mining corporations who exploit them. Maybe the ones who are truly lost are the refugees which until now are adrift at sea because they have not found a place to welcome them and to give them a home. In this year of compassion and mercy, we proclaim our solidarity with these groups of people and resolve to do whatever little we can to help alleviate their sufferings.
Daily Reflection 2018
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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
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