AN INCONSOLABLE TRAGEDY

 




Wednesday of week 24 in Ordinary Time 



1 Timothy 3:14-16

Psalm 110(111):1-6

Luke 7:31-35



In today’s thrilling gospel passage, Jesus cuts straight to the heart of the matter, shining a spotlight on those who are quick to criticize and find fault, using it as a shield to ignore the powerful message at hand. Enter John the Baptist, who delivers a transformative message, but instead of embracing it, the critics dismiss him, crying out, “He’s possessed by a demon!” Then, with Jesus Himself right in front of them, they instead choose to mock Him, labeling Him “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” Because of this stubbornness, they remain unchanged, untouched, and unredeemed. What a tragic waste of opportunity!



Shifting gears to the passage from 1 Timothy that we earlier read, we discover that through baptism, we are woven into “the household of God.” While we may belong to various “households”—families, friends, communities, and organizations—none should ever overshadow our connection to the household of God, the very essence of the “Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth.” This is our ultimate place of belonging, the core of our existence. Let’s take a moment to reflect on our paths, follow in His footsteps, and fulfill our baptismal calling to witness Christ in our lives, while enriching the journeys of others. That is an exhilarating mission that awaits us!


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Image
  REPORTING LIVE FROM ROME GOOD SHEPHERD, I AM BLESSED AND SO THANKFUL!! (BEARING WITNESS TO A RARE OCCASION) 4th Sunday of Easter  Acts 13:14,​43-52 Psalm 99(100):1-3,5 Apocalypse 7:9,​14-17 John 10:27-30 May 8! What an unforgettable day! I had just wrapped up the final lecture of the day at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome with my thesis moderator, Professor Lewis Ayres. This is the same prestigious university that counts St. Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Francis Prevost among its illustrious alumni!  On my way home, I called my mom to wish her a Happy Birthday, reminding her of my dad’s passing on the same day over a decade ago. We had a good laugh about a seagull perched near the chimney of the Sistine Chapel when, out of nowhere, the news broke—“Habemus papam!” The Cardinal Deacon proclaimed it loud and clear! There was huge traffic and everyone started running to the square.  Just an hour later, the new pope, Leo XIV, emerged onto the gr...
Read more
Image
  Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor  Hebrews 8:6-13 Psalm 84(85):8,10-14 Mark 3:13-19 GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU FOR A PURPOSE  Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Francis de Sales, a figure emblematic of profound prayer and spirituality. His teachings emphasize the essential nature of remaining in divine love, encapsulated in his assertion that effective preaching is rooted in love itself. In contemporary discourse, there is an inclination to simplify Christianity to mere moral teachings, often overshadowing the necessity of an authentic, contemplative encounter with God. The Vatican Council's document Gaudium et Spes articulates this relationship succinctly: “The root reason for human dignity lies in humanity’s call to communion with God. From the very circumstance of our origin, we are already invited to converse with God. For man would not exist were he not created by God’s love and constantly preserved by it; and he cannot live fully according to truth unles...
Read more
Image
  21st Sunday in Ordinary Time  Isaiah 66:18-21 Psalm 116(117) Hebrews 12:5-7,​11-13 Luke 13:22-30 NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, STEP THROUGH THE NARROW DOOR AND EMBRACE YOUR SALVATION! In the time of our Lord, the Jewish people—especially their leaders—held a profound belief that they were the cherished chosen ones of God. However, our Lord stepped onto the scene with a revolutionary message that shook their foundations. He boldly challenged the notion that the kingdom of heaven would simply be their exclusive domain. In today's gospel, He issued a striking warning: many will strive to enter, yet not all will succeed! And here’s the thrilling twist—individuals from every corner of the earth, from the east and west, from the north and south, will take their seats at the grand feast in the kingdom of God! Our Lord was on a mission to broaden horizons and elevate expectations. This extraordinary journey of expanding the kingdom didn’t stop with Him—it has been carried on b...
Read more