26TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Therese of Lisieux
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
Ps 17:1bcd, 2-3, 6-7
Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
1st Reading: Job 1:6-22*
One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before Yahweh, and Satan came with them. Yahweh asked Satan, “Where have you been?” (…) Satan answered, “Going up and down the earth, roaming about.”
Yahweh asked again, “Have you noticed my servant Job? No one on earth is as blameless and upright as he, a man who fears God and avoids evil.”
But Satan returned the question, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have you not built a protective wall around him and his family and all his possessions? You have blessed and prospered him, with his livestock all over the land. But stretch out your hand and strike where his riches are, and I bet he will curse you to your face.”
Yahweh said to Satan, “Very well, all that he has is in your power. But do not lay a finger upon the man himself.” So Satan left the presence of Yahweh.
One day, while his sons and daughters were feasting in the house of their eldest brother, a messenger came to Job and said, “Your oxen were plowing, and your donkeys were grazing nearby when the Sabaeans came and carried them off. (…)
He was still speaking when another messenger came and said to Job, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking in the house of their eldest brother when suddenly a great wind blew across the desert and struck the house. It collapsed on the young people and they all died. I alone have escaped to tell you.”
In grief Job tore his clothes and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground and worshiped, saying, (…) Yahweh gave, Yahweh has taken away.
Blessed be his name!” In spite of this calamity, Job did not sin by blaspheming God.
Gospel: Lk 9:46-50
One day, the disciples were arguing about which of them was the most important. But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he took a little child and stood him by his side. Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes the one who sent me. And listen: the one who is found to be the least among you all, is the one who is the greatest.”
Then John spoke up, “Master, we saw someone who drives out demons by calling upon your name, and we tried to forbid him, because he doesn’t follow you with us.” But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him. He who is not against you is for you.”
Reflections
He took a little child and stood him by his side
It is interesting that the greatness is to be seen in the child rather than in the one who knows and controls everything. The child represents all who are vulnerable and weak and powerless. To welcome such persons is to treat them with the utmost dignity and respect and to accept them and be like them In Jesus‘ eyes, these persons are truly great because, to those who have eyes to see, they are the ones in whom we can especially see the liberating character of Jesus‘ words and deeds. St. Francis of Assisi, who kissed the leper (a gesture of mercy), or Mother Teresa, tenderly picking up a decaying, barely living body off the street, knew this well. To find Jesus in such a person is to encounter God within them. God reveals himself in weakness and not in powerful means. Jesus himself shows the greatness of his love for us when he hangs dying and helpless on the cross. This is the lesson the disciples will learn to see and accept in time. We have to keep working on it, too, because it does not come easily to any of us who prefer cheap grace and love.
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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