21ST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 1 / (Green)
Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
I will praise your name forever, Lord.
1st Reading: 1 Cor 1:1-9
From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, by the will of God, and from Sosthenes, our brother, to God’s Church which is in Corinth; to you, whom God has sanctified in Christ Jesus, and called to be holy, together, with those, who, everywhere, call upon the name of our Lord Christ Jesus, their Lord and ours. Receive grace, and peace from God, our Father, and Christ Jesus, our Lord.
I give thanks, constantly, to my God, for you, and for the grace of God given to you, in Christ Jesus. For you have been fully enriched, in him, with words, as well as with knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you. You do not lack any spiritual gift and only await the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord. He will keep you steadfast to the end, and you will be without reproach, on the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus. The faithful God will not fail you, after calling you to this fellowship with his Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Gospel: Mt 24:42-51
Stay awake then, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come. Obviously, if the owner of the house knew at what time the thief was coming, he would certainly stay up and not allow his house to be broken into. So be alert, for the Son of Man will come at the hour you least expect.
Imagine a faithful and prudent servant, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give them food at the proper time. Fortunate, indeed, is that servant, whom his master will find at work when he comes. Truly I say to you, his lord will entrust him with everything he has.
Not so with the bad servant, who thinks, ‘My master is delayed.’ And he begins to ill-treat his fellow servants, while eating and drinking with drunkards. But his master will come on the day he does not know, and at the hour he least expects. He will punish that servant severely; and place with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Reflections
Stay awake then, for you do not know on what day your Lord will come
On his deathbed, St. Stanislaus Kostka was asked if he feared death. He replied, "None at all. My heart is ready, O God! My heart is ready!" Wheelchair-bound, Karl Rahner was asked whether he feared death. He replied that to die is to be thrust into the awaiting arms of God.
We fear dying because of our fear of pain. We may fear death because of the uncertainty of what lies beyond. We may fear judgment because of the manner we have lived our lives.
Let us pray for readiness to encounter the Lord at any moment in our life.
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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