THE WORD
2 Thes 1,1-5.11-12 / Mt 23,13-22
Jesus said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You lock the kingdom of heaven before human beings. You do not enter yourselves, nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You traverse sea and land to make one convert, and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna twice as much as yourselves. “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If one swears by the temple, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.’ Blind fools, which is greater, the gold, or the temple that made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If one swears by the altar, it means nothing, but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.’ You blind ones, which is greater, the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it; one who swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it; one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who is seated on it.”
IN OTHER WORDS
“And the new Miss (whatever title) is Miss…”
Most Filipinos are beauty pageant fans. A town fiesta is not complete without crowning a new queen. That is why more women are aspiring to become beauty queens someday.
Today, we celebrate the Queenship of the Blessed Mother. Yes, she has all the right to be called the “Queen.” First, Mary is a queen because of her humility and simplicity. Despite her status as the “Mother of the Savior,” she remains grounded. She is always there working silently and diligently for her son. Second is that she is grace under pressure. Remember the wedding in Cana, the finding of her son in the temple and the passion of Jesus? With her strong faith in the Father and her total surrender to His will, she overcame all the challenges in her life. She faced all these bravely. Lastly, she is the epitome of perfection every woman can aspire for: an obedient daughter to her parents, Joachim and Anne; an obedient child of the Father; a sensitive relative to those in need and ready to extend her helping hands; a loving wife to Joseph and a doting mother to Jesus. Every woman is a queen especially if she becomes an inspiration to others. Whatever status she has in life, she can make a difference.
- Fr. Jun D. Perez, SVD | Ansan City, South Korea
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
